PrefaceWhen four assemblies jointly invited the great
master of Chan Sham to expound the Heart Sutra at the Buddhist Library of China,
the great master made an all-out effort, although his lecture-series was to last
nine grueling days and even though he was already eighty-four years old; he enjoyed
teaching Buddha dharma, and those who came to listen were delighted. During those
nine days, there was standing room only every time he lectured, a clear sign of
greatness of that Dharma assembly in this five-kasaya period of turbidity. The
old master explained the sutra directly, eluding conventional restrictions. Though
he used traditional divisions of the Buddha's teaching into classes, on many occasions
he dealt broadly with the general idea. Initially, his aim was to explain the
Heart Sutra, but he commented likewise on the Lotus Sutra, and while discussing
the doctrine, broached the topic of the world situation as well. Why? Because
all dharmas are Buddha dharma, all sutras are one sutra.Buddha dharma is never
separated from the world. All phenomena are Buddha Dharma and whoever understands
completely does not have a single mote of dust settle on him/her. All his/her
words and all his/her thoughts are thereby freed from obstacles. Each of his/her
statements, may it be harsh or delicate, is always exactly to the point. Sentient
beings receptive to Dharma will have their wisdom eye open upon hearing this teaching,
but those with distorted vision are bound to be bewildered and most likely will
miss the whole point. Some individuals excel in knowledge of every rule and every
convention and their words flow as in catharsis; they may have acquired mastery
over the divisions and classifications of the Buddha's teaching, but not understanding
its meaning they cannot avoid getting entangled. Playing with words, turning them
around they get bewitched, and much as their speech is systematic and orderly,
they fail to understand the ultimate, and lose sight of the truth. According to
one of the early Buddhist sages, the entire universe is one sutra of a sramana;
the entire universe is the eye of a sramana. Although an enlightened person might
spend a lot of time reading a sutra, he/she will not carry it around in his/her
mind. One might say one is reading sutras not with one's eyes, but with one's
wisdom - though reading all day long, there are no sutras to read.My great
old teacher explained the Heart Sutra by highlighting its salient points in a
prologue: According to his explanation all is really Buddha dharma, every single
form and each tiny bit of color is the Middle Way. Speaking naturally and freely,
he received support from all sides, precisely because all is Buddha dharma. The
great old teacher expounded the Heart Sutra every day for nine days, yet the Heart
Sutra was never mentioned. This is truly the way to expound the Heart Sutra.The
master lectured in Mandarin and Upasaka Wang Ka'i translated into Cantonese, making
the Cantonese people very happy. Because of these lectures many of them now understand
the Heart Sutra. Those who knew both dialects praised him for the integrity of
his translation. Having read his notes he made while translating, I concluded
in my turn that Upasaka Wang Wai made every effort to retain the original meaning:
Every sentence, every word is exactly as it was used by the great old master -
only the dialect is different. The translator's descriptions convey even the sounds
and the nuances to such a degree that reading them equals hearing them spoken.Upasaka
Wang stood outside the adamantine door and eventually made a breakthrough, using
his superior knowledge and skills the way one would use an axe to break down any
ordinary door. People entered and discovered what the Heart Sutra holds. I believe
he understands what his treasury is, what are his virtues; wouldn't you agree?Disciple
NIEN ANThe year of Wu Hsu, June

ForwardThe Buddha Dharma is profound
and wonderful, but to expound the unfathomable doctrine in all its depth is far
from easy. Some people devote most of their energy and thought to Dharma, teaching
or explaining sutras; deducing, searching for terms and supportive quotations,
they have not yet reached the level of the Buddha's mind. The one who has not
climbed Mount Tai (Tai Shan) can only say "How majestic!" Someone who
has not seen the Yellow River, yet describes how great, how vast it is, is not
speaking from experience. If one's view regarding Dharma is based on speculation,
one's understanding will not be clear and one is not going to be in a position
to explain the Dharma successfully to others. When the teacher lacks understanding
of the Dharma, it is hard on the students. They must study too hard to make up
for the incomplete guidance; they might even become discouraged and give up, fearing
failure, and that would be such a pity! When the great master expounded the Heart
Sutra in the Buddhist Library of China, I translated his lectures from Mandarin
into Cantonese. I had taken refuge in the Three Precious Ones from my master many
years ago, and Le Kuo, another master, had taught me Buddha dharma. Obliging and
kind, he did not abandon me although I was foolish. He guided me patiently to
the right path. Bound by my fixed karma I am constantly in a hurry and do not
devote enough time to the Tathágata's teachings. It is difficult to reduce
my ignorance and change my habits and my mind is as dull as it was before I started
aspiring to Buddha Dharma. The great master T'an Hsu's practice of the Tao, of
Bodhi is most serious. He thoroughly comprehends the unsurpassed Dharma in its
implications and his Tao is of the highest integrity. His great reputation has
been long established. My goal while learning Buddha dharma was to work with an
all-out effort, to follow faithfully and to be authorized to translate. I feel,
nevertheless, uneasy about my own limited knowledge. Prior to his systematic explanation
of the sutra, the master presented in everyday language and with perfect freedom
of expression the results of thorough and exhaustive study, bringing into play
all the subtlety of the wondrous and profound Dharma. It seemed as easy as if
he peeled a plantain or stripped a cocoon, using many carefully chosen examples
along the way to make his discourse more relevant in terms of daily life. The
audience was very impressed and deeply moved. If the great master did not climb
Mount Tai, had not seen the Yellow River with his own eyes, how could he express
himself so lucidly, so consistently?During those nine days of his lectures
the entire Dharma assembly experienced a deep sense of well being, and at the
conclusion of the series they all agreed to make a collection toward the publication
of the master's discourses, to be used as an offering to all mankind and to provide
a Dharma condition in the future. I have accepted the responsibility for arranging
and organizing my notes of the master's discourses. Other commentaries I have
read so far were brief and to the point, but that approach did not suit all readers.
Consequently, I chose not to edit my record of those lectures and handed them
over complete, integral with the great master's teaching; I did not avoid or dodge
any of the problems. I presented the minutes in a straightforward manner, because
people have been having difficulty at times with literary language. I did not
take the liberty to emphasize, exaggerate or add anything for fear of losing the
meaning and the expressions characteristic of the great master's discourse. May
I be forgiven for my awkward presentation!WANG WAI,Disciple of the Three
Precious OnesThe year of Wu Hsu, April, Hong Kong

Translator's IntroductionWonderful
Prajna! Mother of all Buddhas, the supreme guide and teacher of sages and saints.
All that is comes from Prajna and returns to Prajna. Sentient beings experience
birth and death in the wheel of life, their mind deeply affected by ignorance,
bent by the five skandhas, confused and submerged in the ocean of suffering for
long kalpas. How regrettable! Prajna is said to be the light in the darkness of
a very long night. On the ebb and flow of the ocean of suffering, Prajna is a
raft. To a house consumed by a blazing fire, Prajna is the rain. Without Prajna
the universe is darkness, without Prajna the human mind is ignorant, without Prajna
sentient beings suffer without respite. Cultivation of Prajna paramita, the perfected
virtue of knowing truth by intuitive insight, relieves us from our suffering and
helps us to overcome, every kind of calamity. All Buddhas of the past, present
and future attain Prajna, all sages and saints have cultivated Prajna: Therefore,
all of us need to cultivate the practice of Prajna.The wonderful doctrine
of Prajna is true and, therefore, real, perfect in all places, at all times and
yet it is inconceivable. If one can understand that void-ness is not void since
the radiant existence exists within its mystery, then at this moment all is perceived
as void. Sages and saints become accomplished by means of Prajna, the ultimate
ground all sentient beings share. The uninformed majority fails to understand
that all existing is produced by causes and conditions, and the self is a false
self without any selfhood. Most grasp form and mistake it for the True Existence,
enduring immeasurable suffering in the wheel of life. The practice of truth or
reality of Prajna excepted, there is no release from suffering in the three realms,
no hope of freedom from worldly worries.It is said in the Maha Prajna Paramita
Sutra that "all forms are unreal and illusory, and if they are seen as such,
the Tathágata will be perceived" because, originally, the true Void
is formless. The sutra says further: "The one who sees me by the form and
seeks me by the sound cannot perceive the Tathágata because of deluded
views." It is to be understood as saying that the one who perceives the form
(or body) and the sound or voice as the Buddha is grasping merely the form. Missing
the true meaning of reality he/she is unable to perceive that all dharmas are
void-ness. Says the sutra further: "A bodhisattva that (still) clings to
the false notion of an ego, a personality, a being and a life, is not a bodhisattva".
Bodhisattvas, same as the Buddhas, establish themselves in Emptiness, apprehending
their ego, personality, being and life as false views rooted in duality. "The
one who hears this pure teaching with a clear and faithful mind can attain the
really real, the reality that is formless; those freed from all forms are called
Buddhas" continues the sutra.The Prajna Paramita Hrydaya Sutra is the
core of the Maha Prajna Paramita in six hundred scrolls. It's teaching is the
teaching of supra-mundane Void as the only true existence, the true Void being
mysteriously concealed in the existing. Therefore one might say the substance
of this sutra is the characteristic of Void of all dharmas; non-obtaining is the
purpose. There is nothing to be obtained from the manifestation of dharmas, all
dharmas being void, or empty. Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, coursing deeply in Prajna
Paramita comprehended the substance of the Prajna reality: All dharmas, as well
as all five skandhas are empty of self, completely free from thought. For this
reason the Bodhisattva received the Chinese name "Guan Zi Zai Pu Sa".As
the substance of all dharmas, Void confirms the true reality of form as non-form.
The one who understands that Buddha and sentient beings are not different can
liberate all sentient beings from disease and calamity, end the cycle of birth
and death and attain perfect, complete enlightenment and Nirvana.The aggregate
of form (rupa skandha) stands for all matter as produced by causes and conditions,
with no permanent substance and no separate, lasting self. The remaining four
skandhas are: Feelings, perceptions, volitions, and consciousness. They all belong
to the Dharma of Mind, which is, likewise, void. But mind cannot find expression
without form and form cannot manifest itself without mind. Without form, mind
cannot be expressed, without mind form cannot be made manifest. In other words,
apart from form there is no mind, apart from mind there is no form. Although they
are inseparable, they are not the same, as stated in the sutra: "Form is
Emptiness, Emptiness is form." Being neither form nor mind, all dharmas are
empty here and now; this is the wonderful Dharma of Reality as Suchness, transcending
all.The uninformed view the perceptible world with all its beings and non-beings
as real or true. Some of them know it to be an illusion produced by interaction
of matter and mentality that it is deceptive and impermanent and must return to
the Void. That particular interpretation of void has not been especially created
by Buddhas and bodhisattvas in order to emphasize that all dharmas are rooted
in emptiness, because all existence is originally devoid of self-hood and, therefore,
empty. It is what they have been practicing for countless kalpas. All those who
attain enlightenment attain understanding of the true substance of reality. They
perceive that the five skandhas are empty, and thereby overcome all ills and suffering.Ultimately,
mind and form are not different. Likewise, the rest of the existing world has
neither birth nor death, is neither pure nor impure, it neither increases nor
decreases because it is originally void (of selfhood). In case one perceives birth
as coming and death as going, or if one claims that clean is pure and dirty is
defiled, holds "full" to be an increase and "less" a decrease,
one is not yet empty of skandhas. These views represent obstacles, which bind.
Not being able to liberate oneself, how can one hope to liberate others? When
one has finally reached the understanding that all existence is produced by causes
and conditions and, therefore, empty of permanent self, then all reality equals
stillness and the absence of diversified form. Then birth and death, pure, impure,
increase and decrease all are void. Without defiled thought arising, suffering
and calamity vanish. The entire range of artificial or contrived forms is the
result of the six organs, six kinds of data and six kinds of consciousness. Reality,
in truth, does not comprise any realm. When the five skandhas are empty, there
is no diversity of form. Without ignorance there is no ending of ignorance and
no ending of old age and death.Supreme Prajna is stillness without form. When
one is neither the resultant person, nor the dependent condition, one's suffering
ends. When delusory thoughts and views are severed it is the end of the cause
of suffering. To relinquish the doctrine of unreality is to block the cessation
of suffering. Without the three studies there is no path. If there is no subject
of wisdom, that is called "Non-wisdom." Without the object and its domain
there is nothing to obtain. True mind is not empty, yet it is Emptiness. Although
Bodhi is considered to be an attainment, there is nothing to attain. To perceive
the ground of all Buddhas is Suchness. There are adornments everywhere and ten
thousand merits manifest themselves. When Dharma-kaya becomes manifest, there
is only true Emptiness. Mind established in true Emptiness completely encompasses
the universe. There should be no seeking; no "inside" and "outside".
The universe is not attainable that way. As long as there is something to attain,
there are obstacles; thought arises and, there is then an object. To have an object
means duality, which means the loss of true reality. It cannot be called Prajna
paramita.The Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara practiced wonderful wisdom and attained
enlightenment completely free of attachment. He entered Emptiness, unobstructed,
through the gate of liberation. Since there is nothing but Emptiness, (including
the body, the mind and all that exists), a bodhisattva is never moved by eulogy,
ridicule, slander or fame. Even war, famine or the bubonic plague are dismissed
by him/her as illusions taking hold through karma. Letting go of all that seemingly
exists on its own, independently of the mind, sets forth brightness and the one
experiencing it will no be intimidated. The Bodhisattva then entered the kind
of liberation that is Nirvana. Similarly, the one who has been practicing over
a long period of time achieves wonderful calmness, which empowers when faced with
disturbance. Water cannot submerge him/her nor fire burn. Because he/she attained
liberation, he/she is fearless. Seeking Dharma "outside", in what exists,
apparently independent of mind, is proceeding backward, perpetuating a misunderstanding
as to what is good and evil, dreaming of gain and holding the cycle of birth and
death to be the opposite of Nirvana. It is essential to let go of distinctions
such as dreaming versus thinking, right side up, and so on if one wants to enter
the gate of liberation through non-action. Only when the name/form is dispatched
and there is no mind object, can the original enlightenment become manifest and
Nirvana, the perfect liberation in the Dharmadhatu, obtained.All the Buddhas
in the three periods depend on Prajna paramita for the attainment of Anuttara
Samyak Sambodhi. Because of superb causes, they attain the fruit of sainthood.
Consequently, we know that Prajna paramita can dispose of all kinds of demons.
Independent of personality and Dharma, free at all times and in all places, the
Buddhas manifest or remain concealed depending on potential. The great mantra
is beyond comprehension of the Saints and the worldly alike. Endowed with a power
to sever ignorance, it radiates brilliance and stillness. This great, bright mantra
emanates unadulterated wisdom, and its power to transcend the three realms and
attain supreme Nirvana is beyond comparison. Illuminating the ten directions,
it shines, like the sun, everywhere without discrimination. Such is the unequaled
mantra.The one who can receive and hold this sutra and mantra will liberate
all sentient beings from obstacles, release them from suffering and attain complete
enlightenment. This is true, and it is real; therefore the Prajna paramita Mantra
says: "Gate, gate, paragate, parasamgate, Bodhi Svaha." The great master
T'an Hsu commented that "mantra belongs to the esoteric tradition and accordingly,
belongs to the five kinds of texts deemed primal, untranslatable, and inconceivable;
when they are translated and explained they will became conceivable dharma and
their original meaning and merit will be lost." In short, the primary purpose
of the Prajna Paramita mantra is to liberate self and others, traverse the sea
of suffering and, attaining complete enlightenment, reach the serenity and joy
that is Nirvana.Venerable Dharma Master Lok ToYoung Men's Buddhist Association
of AmericaBronx, New York

PrologueBy Grand Master T'an HsuThe
Hrdaya or Heart Sutra is presently the topic. According to the grand master Chih
I of the T'ien T'ai sect, any speaker who endeavors to explain one of the Mahayana
sutras should cover five points of the scripture's profound meaning, or five profundities.
What are they?1. Explanation of terms and names.2. Definition of the substance.3.
Clarification of the principles.4. Discussion of its (sutra's) application.5.
Discernment of the doctrine.The five profundities regarding this sutra are
as follows: The Dharma and the example stand for the name. All dharmas are empty
(or void) of substance. "Nothing there to be attained" is the principle.
Breaking off the three hindrances (greed, hatred and ignorance) is the application
and the ripening of the fruit is the doctrine. The following details will provide
further explanation:By means of explaining its name, the sutra will be seen
and distinguished within the context of all of the Buddha's teaching. Altogether,
there were seven reasons for naming a sutra according to seven categories as follows:The
first consists simply of the name of the speaker (of a particular sutra), for
example Amitabha Sutra, Vimalakirti Sutra, etc. In the second category the name
designates the teaching conveyed in that particular discourse, such as Nirvana
Sutra or Prajna paramita Sutra, to give two examples. In the third category, the
sutras are named to elucidate the doctrine they teach by analogy. The title Brahmajala
Sutra derives from the net of banners used for the adornment of the palace of
Maha-Brahman.Each eye of the net is said to have contained a Mani-Pearl and
their brightness reflected each other ad infinitum. Likewise, the Buddha Dharma
is forever reflected through the brightness of the radiant minds of bodhisattvas.
In the fourth category, the sutras are named after the person(s) seeking Dharma
from the Buddha, i.e., the Sutra of Prajna for the Benevolent King spoken by the
Buddha. In that sutra, the Buddha teaches sixteen benevolent kings. The Buddha
and the kings are the persons and Prajna is the Dharma. The fifth category combines
an example specific to each case and the Dharma. The name Prajna paramita Hrdaya
(Heart) Sutra for example, consists of Prajna paramita, which is the Dharma, and
Hrdaya or Heart which is the specific example. (More on the subject later.)In
the sixth category, the name of a sutra expresses the connection between a person
or a being, and an object or event that is the clue to the Dharma. The name The
Sutra of the Bodhisattva's Necklace, to give an example, hints at the transcendental
adornments of a highly accomplished spiritual being. The bodhisattva is the being,
the necklace is the object, and their connection is the clue to the Dharma.The
combination of the teacher's name and the name of the Dharma with an analog are
included in the seventh category of titles. Consider, for instance, the title
Buddhavatamsaka Mahavaipulya Sutra: The Buddha is the teacher, Mahavaipulya is
the Dharma and Avatamsaka is the analog. The Buddha attained the fruit of Buddhahood
because he returned all the causes of all actions. Avatamsaka is the analog, the
ground of Buddhahood. Maha means great, suggesting that in this instance the doctrine
is applied universally and accommodates all other doctrines. Vaipulya stands for
the function of pure karma in all places. Because of the Buddha's attainment of
that stage, the mind encompasses the universe and all is Buddha-sphere in the
ten directions. Furthermore, each Buddha-sphere encompasses a chiliocosm: This
is over the heads of most because people only know about this world, due to their
narrow outlook.The above seven categories of the titles relevant to Mahayana
sutras are based either on individual's; a particular Dharma; an analog; or any
combination of these.The title of The Prajna paramita Heart (or Hrdaya) Sutra
combines Dharma, i.e., Prajna paramita, with a specific example--Heart or Hrdaya.
The terms used are in Sanskrit: Prajna means wisdom, and Prajna paramita stands
for wisdom acquired experientially, by means of intuitive insight, and perfected
through cultivation to the level of transcendental knowledge; it is the original
wisdom of the mind, or the True Mind. Why, then, add words to it, because that
sutra is axiomatic to the entire collection of the Prajna paramita scriptures.
Just as we hold the heart to be the center, that sutra holds the essence of all
the Prajna paramita texts.Originally, Prajna manifested itself as intuitive
wisdom in all sentient beings since time immemorial. That is called former wisdom
or wisdom of life; but people became confused through grasping, and the True Mind
fogged over by perverted views manifested itself as obsessive thought-patterns.
The cycle of birth and death never stops turning the wheel of life, and it is
difficult to get out. Actually, the True Mind is never separate from us, not even
for one moment. The Buddha spoke the Prajna paramita Dharma for close to twenty-two
years. Recorded and compiled, the resulting text consisted of six hundred scrolls,
classified into eight groups.The differences that existed were merely differences
in expedient means, adjusted to suit a particular potential, and in every case
the aim was to free those who listened from perverted views, abandon grasping,
return to the original source and understand their True Mind. In other words,
the Prajna teaching is aimed to remove confusion, bring about recognition of one's
own True Mind, and return to the truth. According to this doctrine the mind has
three layers: First is the layer of the deluded mind; the second is the Prajna
mind, and the third is the center, the heart, or the pivot of the Prajna mind,
and such is also the relation of this sutra to the doctrine. The Heart Sutra is
the axis of all the Prajna paramita teachings. Taking further the example of the
mind, one might call the Heart Sutra the center of the central sutras. If we compare
the core of this sutra with the worldlings' mind, the mind of Prajna is the true
mind and the mind of worldlings is the deluded mind.Again, the center of the
mind's center may be perceived as consisting of three layers, i.e., the mind of
saints, the mind of bodhisattvas and that of Buddhas. Minds of worldlings are
immersed in suffering of many kinds. The mind of a saint, such as the accomplished
individual of the two vehicles, is approaching Buddhahood; next comes the mind
of a bodhisattva with only one more rebirth to endure and at the center of mind's
center is Buddha or the Ultimate or True Mind. The mind of Prajna paramita Sutra
is the True Mind, also referred to as the Essential Wisdom. Essential Wisdom we
are speaking of is to be distinguished from an awareness of objects or environment
and their use and value usually characterized as "knowledge" by worldlings.The
term "Paramita" is in Sanskrit and it means reaching the other shore.
Prajna paramita or the Wonderful Wisdom, coursing like a boat, transports all
sentient beings across the sea of defilement to the other shore that is Nirvana.
The word Nirvana, also from Sanskrit, means transcending birth and death, or simply
liberation. Prajna paramita is, therefore, the Essential Wisdom and the center
of all kinds of prajña. Most every sutra functions at two levels simultaneously:
One level is general, the other, specific, but the Prajna paramita Heart Sutra
is just specific: Although its title includes the word sutra due to usage, the
text does not function at the general level."Sutra" in Sanskrit
originally meant to uphold, and when applied to principles, it upholds the principles
of all Buddhas moving upward, downward upholding sentient beings according to
their potential. If the one who understands Buddha Dharma upholds the principles
of all the past Buddhas, he/she can liberate sentient beings. Whoever can understand
the theory behind the flawless, accomplished Buddha, can understand also how to
uphold the potential of sentient beings. Sutra means a shortcut, and a well frequented
path. It means the way to complete enlightenment.The second profundity is
the definition of substance. What is the substance of the Heart Sutra? Starting
with "Oh, Shariputra, the characteristic of the void-ness of all dharmas
is non-arising" until "there is no wisdom, and there is no attainment
whatsoever" is the definition of the substance. Consequently, the characteristic
of the void-ness of all dharmas" is the substance of this sutra.The third
profundity is focused on the clarification of the purpose of the sutra. As we
already understand the meaning of this sutra's name as well as the meaning of
its substance, we should have no difficulty understanding the sutra's principle
or purpose. We should understand its principle according to the sentence "There
is nothing to be attained." When there is nothing to attain, one is able
to discern the characteristic of Emptiness.As to the discussion of the application
of this sutra - it being the fifth profundity - it is to break off the three obstacles.
What are these? They are 1) passions; 2) deeds (past karma); and 3) retribution.
Problems, worries and suffering all are related directly to the three obstacles.There
are two kinds of retribution: 1. Being the resultant person, 2. Being in the dependent
condition's. Being the resultant person means being what we are physically, our
body. Some are strong, in good health and others respect them for it. Some are
unsightly, unwholesome and others dislike them. The strong, the weak, the long-lived
and the short-lived, the beautiful, the ugly, the wise as well as the foolish,
all have varied causes in their previous lives, and accordingly receive diverse
effects in their present existence. Those who have produced good causes in their
previous existence enjoy good health, longevity, beauty and wisdom in this life.
Those who generated evil causes in their past lives have various deficiencies
and shortcomings in the present. That is what being resultant person means.Being
in the dependent condition's means one's circumstances, including clothing, sustenance
and shelter. Obviously, those who have all their needs satisfied live happily;
favorable events occur; yet they do not have to exert themselves, because of good
causes in their previous lives. A resultant person relies on dependent conditions
for survival and the conditions, in turn, have their causes in the past existence.
Good karma, practice and deeds that benefit others at present will produce favorable
effects in future existence.The connection between cause and effect must not
be doubted. The obstacles resulting from past deeds come into existence because
we live in this world. It really does not make any difference who is a layperson
and who is a monk or a nun. Most are involved in interactions inevitably connected
with existence within society, which frequently produce circumstances generating
obstacles through karma. Karma is of three kinds: Good, bad and unmovable.The
obstacle of passion arises because of retribution for deeds done in the past.
The circumstances produced then are favorable or adverse according to karma. Strife
to achieve one's goal combines with the confusion that usually accompanies it,
produces numerous defilements and the result is suffering. That is the obstacle
of passion.The original defilements count six in number: Greed, hatred, ignorance,
aggregates, doubt and heterodox views.All three obstacles are severed naturally
when the meaning of the sutra is thoroughly understood because the application
of this sutra is breaking off the three obstacles. To get rid of the three obstructions
is to be released from many kinds of suffering. The suffering is all pervasive
and even devas must endure it, though to a much lesser degree than humans.Therefore
the purpose of all Buddha dharma is to depart from suffering and dwell in happiness.Discernment
of the doctrine: Since we have already reached some understanding as to the meaning
of the sutra in terms of the four profundities, i.e., its name, substance, principles
and application, we are in position to proceed to the last one - the discernment
of doctrine. The entire body of the Buddha's teaching can be divided into five
phases and the example of five ways milk is used to provide nourishment can be
applied to situate the phase of the Heart Sutra in the context of the entire body
of the Buddha's teachings.While teaching, the Buddha frequently referred to
the example of the white cow of Snow Mountains. On the slopes of the Snow Mountains
grow many varieties of grass that make the cow healthy and strong. The milk is
wholesome and rich in nutrients and helps those who drink it better to survive.
Similarly, the Buddha dharma can nourish our wisdom, and therefore the example
of five uses of milk appropriately illustrates the five stages of the Buddha's
teaching.Initially, the Buddha spoke the essence of the Avatamsaka Sutra (Hwa
Yen in Chinese), it being the first phase of his teaching. It was the teaching
as formulated in the Mahayana sutras, and those with obstructions could not rise
to its level. It was like offering fresh, raw milk to a baby; those with obstructions
could not rise to its level.The second phase is represented by the Agamas,
comparable to thin, sour milk. The Buddha spoke the Avatamsaka first so that the
eyes of Mahayana bodhisattvas would open to the view of the Buddhas. At that time
many of shallow root could not and would not accept these highest teachings; though
they had eyes they could not see; though they had ears, they could not hear. Though
they had mouths, they could not ask. It was as if they were deaf and mute. The
Buddha continued teaching the Avatamsaka for three weeks to convert all those
with bodhisattva potential. Many who could not listen later formulated the Theravada
tradition. In the Deer Park, the Buddha chose to teach the Agamas thereby making
his teaching comparatively easier to understand. Five of his friends attained
deep understanding and became his first monks (Bhikshus) and that marked the beginning
of what later became the Theravada tradition. The Buddha taught Agamas for close
to twelve years. Those who could not follow the teachings during the Avatamsaka
phase can be compared to babies, unable to digest fresh milk, but can take it
thinned down or after the milk was allowed to turn. The teaching of Agamas is
comparable to milk that was thus made easier to digest.The third phase is
Vaipulya, interpreted as containing doctrines of equal relevance. That phase is
comparable to milk of full strength that was allowed to turn in order to be easily
digestible. During that time the Buddha spoke four kinds of teachings, and the
division into Theravada and Mahayana was not marked. The phase is said to have
lasted for approximately eight years.The fourth phase, that of Prajna, is
believed to have lasted for twenty-two years; it can be compared to the ripened
curd. The nourishment it provides is concentrated as well as digestible.The
fifth phase relates to the Saddharma Pundarika and to the Nirvana Sutras. Returning
to the milk simile, it has the quality of clarified butter. During that period
the Buddha is said to have taught Mahayana Dharma, the unimpeded teaching pointing
directly at the mind.To summarize, the Buddha taught Dharma in five stages
and each of these displays two facets: Expedience and reality. Expedience means
following the causes and conditions (such as the sentiment and potential of sentient
beings in a given situation); Reality equals Truth or the absence of falsehood.
The Buddha spoke truth of his unsurpassed wisdom directly.1) The earliest
stage is that of the Avatamsaka Mahavaipulya Sutra. The Avatamsaka is said to
consist of expedience and reality (or truth) in equal proportion. Expedience means
promoting the understanding of reality. The Teaching Of Reality makes the entry
into the wisdom of Buddhas possible: The first stage includes both 'expedience
and reality.2) The stage of the Agamas is focused on expedience. The Buddha
adapted his teachings to the potential of sentient beings, specifically of those
in the world; consequently, he did not discuss the superb Dharma at that time.
Agama is a Sanskrit term, meaning incomparable. The name "Incomparable Dharma"
is intended to convey the conviction that nothing can be compared with the Agamas.3)
In that stage, the proportion between expedience and reality is about three parts
to one, expedience being predominant. What are the expedient teachings? The first
was later developed into the sutra section of the Tripitaka. It deals with the
two vehicles of Sravaka and Pratyekabuddha in relation to their ending the cycle
of birth and death of allotment only, but not the cycle of mortal changes. The
two vehicles have, nevertheless, birth and death. The second expedient characteristic
of the third stage is the earliest formulation of Mahayana: The Dharma of the
attainment of non-birth. The third expedient is the teaching of differentiation.
The fourth expedient belonging to this stage is the Dharma of Reality. It manifests
progressively the doctrine of perfect teachings. During the third stage the Buddha
is said to have taught these four different approaches.4) The stage of Prajna,
or the fourth stage, is reflected in the Prajna scriptures. It is said to be composed
of two parts expedience and one part reality, i.e. the Mahayana teaching, or the
great vehicle.5) The fifth is that of the Saddharma Pundarika and Nirvana
Sutras, is the stage of the Dharma of Reality or Truth without concern regarding
expedience. At that stage the Buddha had little time left and could not afford
to spend it worrying about the potential of the assembly. Following his delivery
of the Bequeathed Teaching, which lasted one day and one night, the Buddha entered
his final Nirvana.The Heart Sutra, the topic of the detailed commentary below,
belongs to the fourth stage according to the above scheme. It is said to consist
of two parts expedient and one part Reality, and it is comparable to well ripened
curd.

Prajñápáramitá Hrdaya SutraTranslated
by Tripitaka Master Hsuan Tsang of the Tang DynastyCommentary by Grand Master
Tan HsuOf the seven known translations of the Heart Sutra the one by the Tripitaka
Master Hsuan Tsang is the most popular. Tripitaka is a Sanskrit term designating
Buddhist canon, a Buddhist text that consists of three sections: 1. Sutras or
original texts, or in other words, Buddha dharma. 2. Vinaya or rules of discipline
and 3. Sastras or commentaries related to theory and practice, as well as to the
teachings in relation to non--Buddhist argument. Dharma master Hsuan Tsang understood
the Tripitaka thoroughly and therefore the title of Tripitaka Master was bestowed
upon him. He did not study canonical texts primarily for personal satisfaction;
his purpose was to make them available to others and he acted in compliance with
a direct order from the emperor. Dharma Master Hsuan Tsang is a very famous sage
from the T'ang Dynasty. The description of the arduous way he obtained the scriptures
is known to every family and household and there is no need to delve into it at
this time.The Prajna literature is very extensive; it covers approximately
twenty years of the Buddha's teaching career. The seven translations of the sutra
display minor differences but the essential meaning was respected in each case.
There is no major difference between the seven of them. According to the Tripitaka
Master Kumarajiva's translation, this sutra was spoken by the Buddha. Every translation
of the Heart Sutra includes a commentary, which consists of three parts: 1) The
reason for the sutra; 2) the method used to convey the meaning; 3) the sutra's
history. The Heart Sutra was composed of excerpts from the Maha-Prajñápáramitá
texts, and simple words were carefully employed to convey profound meanings. Although
the Chinese version contains only two hundred sixty single characters, nevertheless
it embodies the entire Prajna literature in all its depth and subtlety. As to
the reason for this sutra, we only need to look at the method used to put the
text together and we realize that the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara was chosen as
the model for the rest of us, and that the sutra was spoken by the Buddha. To
understand it thoroughly is to understand all of the Prajna literature. We are
not going to address the sutra's history at this time.

The Heart SutraWhen
the bodhisattva Avalokitesvarawas coursing in the deep prajña paramita,he
perceived that all five skandhas are emptythus he overcame all ills and sufferingoh,
Shariputra, Form Does not Differ From the Void,And the Void Does Not Differ
From Form.Form is Void and Void is Form;the same is True For Feelings,Perceptions,
Volitions, and Consciousness.Shariputra, the Characteristics of thevoid-ness
of All Dharmasare non-arising, non-ceasing, non-defiled,non-pure, non-increasing,
non-decreasing.Therefore, in the void there are no forms,no feelings,
perceptions, volitions or consciousness.no eye, ear, nose, tongue, body or
mind;no form, sound, smell, taste, touch or mind object;no realm of the
eye,until we come to no realm of consciousness.No ignorance and also no
ending of ignorance,until we come to no old age and death andno ending
of old age and death.Also, there is no truth of suffering,of the cause
of suffering,of the cessation of suffering, nor of the path.There is no
wisdom, and there is no attainment whatsoever.because there is nothing to
be attained,the bodhisattva relying on prajña paramita hasno obstruction
in his mind.Because there is no obstruction, he has no fear,and he passes
far beyond confused imagination.And reaches ultimate nirvana.The Buddhas
of the Past, Present and Future,by relying on prajña paramitahave
attained supreme enlightenment.Therefore, the prajña paramita is the
great magic spell,the spell of illumination, the supreme spell,which can
truly protect one from all suffering without fail.Therefore he uttered the
spell of prajña paramita,saying, gate, gate, paragate, parasamgate,
bodhi svaha.

Commentary"When the bodhisattva Avalokitesvara"The
opening words introduce the one practicing the Dharma. The Prajna teachings were
spoken by the Buddha during the fourth stage, his purpose being to guide those
practicing what later became the approach of the Theravadins toward the practice
of Mahayana Dharma. Whoever practices according to the Small Vehicle practices
virtuous conduct and Dharma primarily to benefit self. The Mahayana practice,
on the other hand, is aimed to benefit self and others. To liberate all sentient
beings implies concern for the well being of all people. Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara
was chosen to demonstrate to the person of the Small Vehicle mentality the full
dimension of Mahayana teaching. The name Avalokitesvara lends itself to several
interpretations: The Chinese version, i.e. Guan Zi Zai, means the attainment of
the bodhisattva stage and the cause-ground for practicing Dharma.Why did we,
the Chinese, choose to call the Bodhisattva Guan Zi Zai because he has attained
the fruition of the path. Visualizing and contemplating the name we come to understand
its meaning. Guan means to observe and to illuminate: The one who practices the
bodhisattva path not only illuminates own mind, but the world as well; practicing
in that manner one can be sure to obtain liberation. That is what Guan Zi Zai
means.What is the meaning of Zi Zai? The one who is able to halt the two kinds
of birth and death and the five fundamental conditions of passions and delusions
can be called Zi Zai. To observe own self is to discover body and mind bound by
five skandhas and six organs with their corresponding six data; we are not free,
and therefore, not Zi Zai.The name Avalokitesvara comes from the ground causes
of the Bodhisattva's Dharma practice while on an island, perceiving the sounds
of the world, rooted in time as they are, rising and failing with the ebb and
flow of the ocean. From the sound of the tide rising and falling, the Bodhisattva
attained enlightenment, perfectly and completely comprehending the Dharma of birth
and non-birth.Someone asked how and why did the Bodhisattva attain the Tao
and became enlightened by observing the ebb tide? The Bodhisattva, while practicing
by the sea, contemplated the sound as it increased, decreased and then came to
full stop, occurring simultaneously with the ebb tide. He pondered the root of
causes and finally attained enlightenment by understanding that all existence
is subject to birth and death and, therefore, is impermanent. Yet the hearing
is timeless, hence beyond birth and death. Those without practice can hear, but
do not listen. While hearing the sounds they only think of "outside";
the sound of the tide has birth and death, but the nature of hearing does not.
Why, because even when the sound of the tide stops, our capacity or nature for
hearing does not. We can still hear the wind in the branches of a tree, the songs
of birds and the shrill sound of the cicadas. Had our capacity for hearing vanished
with the sound, we should not be able to hear ever again. Even when all is quiet
late at night, we are aware of silence or non-sound, because of our capacity for
hearing. There are two kinds of hearing: One comes and goes in response to stimulation,
the other functions independently of it. Thus we can safely say that although
sounds have birth and death, the hearing capacity does not. It actually never
vanishes. All existence, including dharmas, is impermanent and therefore subject
to birth and death - just like magic, like bubbles or like shadows. The nature
of hearing, on the other hand, can never be destroyed.In that manner we come
to know the bright and accomplished nature of hearing. Our mind accords with whatever
we observe: If we observe birth and death, there is birth and death. If we observe
non-birth and non-death, there is no birth and no death. All things are produced
by the mind; they are completed through contemplation. Everyone has a mind and
consequently a potential to formulate the world according to own intentions, but
without effort he/she will not succeed. Nature is the substance, mind, the function.
The function never separates from the substance, or the substance from the function.
Function and substance, though separate, are causally connected. Nature governs
the mind and the mind is the nature's function; they mesh. Although both retain
their own character, they are inseparable. Dharma practice can start right at
this point. One needs to understand one's mind, see one's True Nature and following
that attain the Tao.The Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara practice makes one listen
to, and be mindful of one's own nature and by means of listening attain the wonderful
function. Listening to own nature has no boundaries and it can accommodate all
sentient beings while saving them. We worldlings only react or become concerned
about what we construe to be external or outside sound. Negligent of our True
Nature, we hardly ever try to listen to it and our hearing is partial as a result
of it. When we listen to own nature, our listening is not delimited by time. Perceiving
one's nature thus, one's listening is complete and continual and one's joy and
happiness are permanent.When phonetically transliterated into Chinese, the
Sanskrit word "Bodhisattva" produces two characters: Pu Sa or Bo Sa.
Bodhi (Pu or Bo in Chinese) means perfect knowledge or wisdom by which person
becomes Buddha. Sattva (Sa in Chinese) stands for an enlightened and enlightening
being, which is to say that person has already enlightened his own nature by freeing
him/herself from birth and death, and helps other sentient beings to do likewise.
Worldlings, however, hold on to feelings and disregard or oppose the doctrine.
Confusion and frustration take them through the samsaric suffering in the cycle
of existence. To perceive one's Self-Nature by listening is the bodhisattva's
way out of the round of birth and death.The first line of the sutra informs
us of the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara as the appointed practice leader of the Prajna
Assembly. He is going to teach us how to follow his Dharma practice and establish
mindfulness by listening to Self Nature."Was coursing in the deep prajña
paramita"This line specifies the Dharma of the Bodhisattva Practice.
"Coursing" and "deep" relate to its quality. At one time,
one thousand, two hundred and fifty-five Bhikshus attained ' the four fruits of
the Arhat; they practiced the Dharma of the Small Vehicle which leads to the end
of their birth and death allotment. What is the birth and death allotment? It
means every sentient being's body is merely a portion, or a part; whether short,
long or middle length, the life of sentient being must end. One round of birth
and death is referred to as allotment. Whoever practices the Dharma of the Small
Vehicle will have the conversion of birth and death even after he/she has come
to the end of the allotment of birth and death. What is the conversion of birth
and death?Our distorted thought pattern is the root of our failure to escape
to escape from the cycle of birth and death. One of the recognized features of
thought is to quiver and to move on, and the pattern and its movement normally
neither change nor become suspended as long as there is consciousness. Every thought
has its beginning, its duration and its end. Due to feelings, perceptions, volitions
and consciousness every thought has its conversion into birth and death. The activity
is never suspended, and thus the conversion of birth and death takes place, generated
by feelings, perceptions, volitions and consciousness. Every rise and fall of
delusive thought marks the conversion of birth and death. If our Dharma practice
does not take us back to the truth, we are not going to be able to end the conversion
of birth and death and that would hinder us from discerning the Buddha's point
of view. To practice Dharma correctly, one should endeavor to liberate one's thought
from delusion; the attainment and practice of truth are the means to the attainment
of Prajna. Without these, how can we say we are coursing in the deep Prajna paramita?
To end the samsaric cycle, but not the conversion of birth and death of thought
is a wisdom that is shallow. The Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara attained Truth, thereby
bringing the two kinds of birth and death to a complete halt. That is the deep
Prajna, the awe-inspiring wisdom: It is beyond discriminating knowledge, has to
be, since discrimination is one of the manifestations of duality, or birth and
death.Paramita is a Sanskrit term meaning virtue perfected to the level of
transcendence. In the context of Buddhist practice it means to traverse the sea
of Samsara, or the sea of birth and death, and reach Nirvana. The words "coursing
in the deep Prajna paramita" attest to the Bodhisattva's practice of all
three kinds of wisdom, i.e., listening, thinking and practice; thus he attained
the radiant wisdom, or the Ultimate. This paragraph offers description of correct
Dharma practice and its purpose is to provide guidance for the assembly, including
those who have attained partial understanding and insight."He perceived
that all five skandhas are empty"During his practice of contemplation
and illumination the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara attained Truth. By means of his
minutely subtle Dharma practice he penetrated the five skandhas, perceiving them
as empty.The five skandhas, namely form, feelings, perceptions, volitions
and consciousness continually provide five occasions for craving and clinging.
Two types of craving and clinging characterize the human mind: 1) Craving and
clinging to form and 2) Craving and clinging to mind. Clinging to form is the
domain of the form skandha; the remaining four skandhas constitute the domain
of the mind and the clinging to mind is generated in those four realms. All our
grasping, manifested in our attachments and aversions, is generated and developed
due to the activity of these four skandhas. Craving and clinging emerge at birth,
and the Buddha dharma aims to sever them.The initial clinging is ego bound.
Ego is the anchor of our volition to grasp and to possess, the root of our attachments
and aversions, and via these, the root of our suffering. Clinging to the body
as the true self begins to manifest in the early childhood: Normally, the six
organs produce six types of data, six kinds of consciousness and the four skandhas
along with them; jointly these constitute the delusory ego. Craving and clinging
is spontaneous at birth; at that time, ego is formulated simultaneously with the
form skandha. The rest of our existence is built up by our countless ego-affirming
acts involving all the skandhas, but most prominently the skandha of feeling;
its domain contains pleasant, unpleasant and neutral or indifferent types of feelings.The
body depends on the mind to be provided with pleasant occasions and protected
from discomfort. There must be thinking, i.e., perceptions, followed by action,
and action means volition. They, in turn, require established bases of knowledge,
and that is the role of the consciousness skandha. Children are sent to school
to learn, to acquire knowledge that prepares them for the future. When there is
sufficient knowledge, there is action, invariably preceded by thinking as planning,
imagining, remembering and so on. The body then receives the support it needs.
There is ego--grasping, and confusion is generated by the five skandhas as the
ego-notion imposes itself on the process of experience.Once it has become
clear beyond any doubt that this present body is not the self, that one can only
say "mine", or "my body", all delusion regarding the five
skandhas is broken off, and ignorance along with it. What a pity that worldlings
get so deeply confused and completely fail to understand this brilliant doctrine;
grasping the skandhas and the ego-notion, they twist the data to fit their own
picture as to how reality should be. Actually, the body is not the self; it is
like a house that I might call mine all right, but to consider it to be myself
would be a ridiculous error. In the same way, I can't say "this body is myself'
but I can say "this body is mine."What is the real self? Our Original
Nature is our real self. It depends on the body temporarily; the body is not different
from a house. A house is completed and then gradually deteriorates; similarly,
the body has birth and death and the part in between. Our True Nature (real self),
on the other hand, has neither birth nor death. It is enduring and unchanging.
The teaching of Real Self and of illusory ego is basic to all Buddha dharma. When
it is understood, clinging is easily broken off.The teaching related to the
five skandhas is referred to as the Dharma of Assemblage. Skandha is a Sanskrit
term used by the Buddha in reference to the five components of human so-called
entity. A skandha is a constituent of personality and it also means accumulation
in the sense that we constantly accumulate good and bad in our mind. The Dharma
of Five Skandhas is comparable to five kinds of material. The mountains, rivers
and the entire universe, the Buddhas and bodhisattvas in the three periods, even
the six realms of existence and the four kinds of worthies-all are produced solely
by the five skandhas.Who are the four worthies? 1. The Arhat of Theravada,
2. The Middle Vehicle of Pratyekabuddha, 3. The Mahayana Bodhisattva, 4. The Buddha,
the ultimate fruit of the path. What are the six realms of existence? Three are
good and three are evil. Devas, humans, and asuras inhabit the three good realms;
animals, hungry ghosts and hell-dwellers belong to the three evil realms. It does
not make any difference whether mundane or supra-mundane; they are all produced
and completed by the five skandhas. By taking the right path, (the ultimate path)
one may become an Arhat, Pratyekabuddha, Bodhisattva, or Buddha.A good action
can be good in three different ways; likewise, an evil action can be so in three
ways. Worldlings, confused because of not knowing or knowing wrongly get carried
away and lose control over their actions; evil in the world increases, giving
rise to five turbidities. There is the turbidity of kalpa in decay, turbidity
of views, turbidity of passions, turbidity of living beings and turbidity of life
(the result of turbidity of human beings). Turbidity means turmoil. The turmoil
of kalpa in decay is the product of the form skandha; Sentient beings in the Saha
world grasp form or material (body), misconstrue that as their True Self, not
realizing that all dharmas are produced by the mind, and give rise to the skandha
of feeling. The egocentric bias goes hand in hand with craving for gratification
of the senses or body and the result is turbidity of view. Turbidity of passions
is generated by the perception skandha. Seeking gratification of the senses brings
greed in its wake, manifesting as desire for wealth and subsequent strife for
personal gain. Sooner or later, sound ethics are abandoned and volition to grasp
and to possess is given free rein. At this point the worldlings become totally
engulfed in self-delusion, generating unspeakable amount of defilements.Turbidity
of passions comprises family defilements, societal defilements, national defilements,
world-defilements. While they are alive, human beings are the victims of turbidity
in the realm of volition. The egocentric bias engenders the cyclic pattern of
existence and perpetuates itself until the end of time. However, time is moving
on; no matter how much of it we might have, still, we will die in the end. The
confusion of worldlings as regards the real or True Self is the turbidity of living
beings. Turbidity of life is caused by the consciousness skandha. The turbidity
of living beings will eventually produce a decrease in the life span as well as
in size of each individual body. The Agamas speak of a certain stage in the history
of mankind, when the life span was eighty-four thousand years and the individual
height was one-hundred-sixty feet. There was a gradual decrease in both the life
span and the height. Presently, to live seventy or eighty years is considered
long life, and the average height is five to six feet. Somewhere in the very distant
future, claims the ancient text, the life span of humans will last ten years and
the average height will be close to three feet. It will be the time of upheavals
and disasters of all kinds.Actions considered sound today may be viewed as
un-skillful, even unethical tomorrow as a result of the ego inserting itself into
the field of perception. Countless defilements develop when skillful or beneficial
actions are re-evaluated, come to be viewed as lacking in expedience, and Buddha
dharma is dismissed as irrelevant. Confusion resulting from ignorance is conducive
to a lifestyle that has a detrimental effect on both the life span and the condition
of the body. Turbidity first corrupts then sooner or later takes over. Worldlings
need to generate compassion for this declining world, resolve to uphold at least
the basic code of ethics and, perhaps, study the Buddha Dharma; furthermore, they
should refrain from taking the life of any living being and be mindful of their
actions. These should be skillful and cause no harm to others. If that is accomplished,
there may still be time to save this world.In a few words, the five turbidities
are completely within the realm of the five skandhas. The skandhas combined constitute
the basis of all dharmas, of all sentient beings in the ten directions and of
all worlds in all the universes. The skandhas are, furthermore, the substance
of the incandescent True Existence, being at the same time the transcendental
Void or Emptiness. (The relation of true existence to transcendental Emptiness
will be discussed later). Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, relying on his luminous
wisdom, "perceived that all five skandhas are empty." The Bodhisattva
practiced deep Prajna paramita, i.e., the root of Ultimate Reality, and attained
the supreme Tao, realizing that skandhas are empty of self. To arrive at that
stage is enlightenment, the state completely clear of turbidity. From then on,
all dharmas are understood as one's True Nature. When that level is attained,
the mind comprehends the universe as the Self, and the Self, as the universe;
the grand view is boundless. In short, Void or Emptiness means the absence of
duality, of accepting and rejecting. There are five categories of void: the obstinate
void; the annihilation void; the void of analysis; the void of global comprehension;
the void of true supra mundane existence.What is obstinate void? Clinging
to the space in front of us. What is annihilation void? It is the kind grasped
by those on the heterodox or outer path; the views that abounded in India, as
well as the assorted philosophical positions based on cognitive patterns which
neglect the Buddhist axiom stating that all is generated by the mind; claims to
the effect that there is existence beyond one's cognitive realm and that is where
the dharmas are. Heading full speed into large-scale confusion, the supporters
of such views choose to grasp that void, positing it as the prevalent characteristic
of existence.The remaining three kinds of void are introspectively oriented
Buddha dharma and constitute the Dharma of Void or Emptiness as the true nature
of the mind, in contrast with the teaching of the Small Vehicle that focuses on
form (rupa skandha). The supra-mundane path of the Small Vehicle (Theravada) and
that of Sravaka and bodhisattva of the Great Vehicle (Mahayana) are rooted in
the last three kinds of void just mentioned. They are neither the obstinate void
of worldlings nor the annihilating void of the outer or heterodox path. The concept
or the doctrine of the void is sometimes called the nature of the void or the
theory of nature: The meaning is the same.I shall discuss presently the four
subdivisions of Buddha dharma according to T'ien T'ai, and the three kinds of
void relevant to Buddha dharma as they are understood and applied in each of the
four subdivisions, to wit: 1. Tsang Jiao (Theravada teachings based on the Tripitaka),
2. Tung Jiao (Theravada and Mahayana interrelated), 3. Bie Jiao (particular or
distinctive Mahayana, characterized as the bodhisattva path), 4. Yuan Jiao (original
or complete Mahayana).The mundane path of Theravada does not accommodate the
radiant Truth at its fullest, although in some cases a Mahayana teaching may be
perceived as Theravadin by a practitioner of the Small Vehicle. The mundane path
is grounded in minute analysis of form (rupa) Dharma and mind (nama) Dharma, and
how their interaction contributes to the illusion of a separate ego. The term
dharma may be interpreted as meaning things, method, formula or standard; form
is distinguished through shape and color, mind through its function of knowing.
Our body is composed of four elements, i.e., earth, water, fire and wind; these
have the character of solidity, viscosity, temperature and vibration, respectively.The
body is a mass of material and does not possess the faculty of knowing an object;
matter changes under physical conditions and because of this feature it is called
form. The element of earth is like the body, complete with skin, flesh, tendons,
bones in terms of weight, softness and hardness. The element of water includes
all bodily liquids, all that relates to fluidity and viscosity. The element of
fire covers temperature in terms of warmth in varying degrees of intensity up
to the absence of warmth. The element of air manifests as vibration in terms of
movement. The body manifests the three characteristics of existence, i.e., impermanence,
unsatisfactory condition and the absence of selfhood. Illness and death are caused
by an imbalance of the elements, their scarcity or absence according to the Theravada
teaching. Birth and death are the natural result of body being compounded from
these four elements.What is mind? Mind is knowing without form. What is form?
Form is shape without the capacity for knowing. Uninstructed worldlings view their
physical body (form), actually a collection of elements, as their self or ego
and therefore cannot leave the ocean of birth and death. Deeply confused about
truth, they feel oppressed because of wrong views. The only correct way to put
it is to say "this body is my body; the mind is my real self." The knowing
consciousness is the master; the body, only a slave. Let us consider, for example,
someone who, though interested in attending this lecture, initially did not want
to make the effort because of feeling tired. But then he/she had the following
thought: "Hearing the commentary on that sutra will increase my wisdom and
reduce my defilement; I must go and listen to the Dharma." Having persuaded
him/herself, he/she got on the bus and came here to hear this Dharma. Where did
the initiative originate? Clearly, it originated in the mind; the mind is the
master and the body is the slave.Unfortunately, a person of mundane concerns
is very confused, mistaking the slave for the master, and consequently there is
birth and death., To perceive the brilliant Dharma is to enlighten the mind to
itself; originally the mind had neither birth nor death. Although the body dies
and vanishes, the mind is imperishable and indestructible: Understanding this
experientially marks the end of the cyclic pattern of existence, the exit from
the ocean of suffering.Mind is seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, touching
and knowing. The six natures or capacities for seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting,
touching and knowing are the nature of the mind. The Buddha spoke Dharma on numberless
occasions for forty-nine years. All of his teachings were expedient means, and
all his explanations and discourses were delivered for the purpose of helping
sentient beings to be freed from attachment and delusion and to return to the
Truth. He dealt predominantly with two dharmas: Form and mind. According to the
teaching later formulated as the Small Vehicle, form and mind are two. The practitioner
should know the mind while not abandoning the form (body). Where does mind dwell?
According to physiology the heart is also the mind (the organ) but efforts to
prove it have been inconclusive so far.According to some religions, the mind
resides in the brain; however, all attempts to find some proof to support such
theory proved, again, negative. Whenever people tried to find the very source,
to pinpoint the exact site where the mind is, the results were nil in each case.
Since mind is neither form nor name, in the context of Buddha Dharma it is expediently
termed "Emptiness" or "Void" (Sunyata in Sanskrit).On
that particular day, represented for us by the eighth of December, while he was
absorbed in deep samádhi, the Buddha attained complete enlightenment. Noticing
the bright morning star in the eastern sky, he observed that the nature of seeing
can be a kind of connecting: He realized his own nature of seeing is boundless,
and his first statement following his enlightenment was: "Wonderful, wonderful!
All sentient beings have the same wisdom and virtue as the Tathágata, but
because of the obstacle of illusion and grasping they cannot attain."The
expression "sentient beings" means produced by, composed of many, not
being just a separate "one". The human body, for example, appears to
be of one piece, yet it is composed of many concealed parts, such as the heart,
liver, kidneys, spleen, the lungs, the pores, even some parasites. This means
that a person, even though being an entity, is also sentient beings. To reiterate,
the Buddha's view was that all sentient beings have the same virtue and the same
wisdom as the Tathágata - the pure, luminous virtue of Dharmadhatu. However,
the sentient beings are confused, do not return to their Original Nature and do
not purify the Dharma-kaya and therefore they are called sentient beings, or different
from Buddhas.The Buddha saw a star in the eastern sky following his enlightenment,
and the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara practiced the three kinds of wisdom of the
instructed ones, meditated on sound and attained the stage of Bodhi. When all
conditions are generated by one's own mind that is the Original Mind. The ordinary
person of mundane concerns looks at an object and considers that seeing, and from
that moment on adheres to the view that a table is a table, a person is a person;
taking the object of seeing he/she fails to realize its subject. The view prevents
him/her from being able to abandon both subject and object (meaning duality);
how can he/she ever understand original seeing? He/she twists the process of experience
to fit his/her own concept of reality, intensifying the delusion. To perceive
one's Original Nature as shapeless and formless is to perceive the true Void.
People's potentials are dissimilar. Whoever can understand his/her Original Nature
is clear-eyed; the one who takes the object of seeing and grasps the form is caught
in turbidity.Practitioners of the method promulgated by the Small Vehicle
perceive mind as mind, form as form, and conceive them as distinct and different.
That method focuses on observing the observer. The connection with one's own nature
is apparently not taken into consideration.Seeing is the nature of the eye;
hearing is the nature of the ear organ; smelling is the nature of the nose organ,
tasting is the nature of the tongue organ; touching is the nature of the body
and knowing is the nature of the mind. If the practice is based on this point
of view, only partial Void can be attained, although it can also be termed "enlightenment"
according to Buddhist understanding. Followers of Theravada hold that clothing;
nourishment and lodging are deemed to result from conditioning causes and are
not the concern of full-time practitioners. These have surpassed the worldlings
and therefore are viewed as holy by the devotees sharing the same tradition.The
Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva attained enlightenment by perceiving his Original Nature;
he abandoned the duality inherent in subject and object, whereupon he attained
the Middle Way perfectly and completely. That is the pure, radiant Dharma-kaya,
quite different from the accomplishments in the tradition of the Small Vehicle.
At one point in history one thousand two hundred and fifty-five disciples of the
Buddha became Arhats: Nonetheless, their attainment was not exhaustive regarding
the Ultimate Truth, but merely the end of the birth and death allotment. The study
and practice of the bodhisattva Path was their opportunity for expanding their
practice by following the example of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva.Comprehension
of the immaterial substance of Reality marks the intermediate level of the bodhisattva
career, sometimes referred to as the first gate of Mahayana and of the Middle
Vehicle. It is considered to be a higher doctrinal accomplishment than that of
the Small Vehicle. In the intermediate level the Void of the five skandhas is
attained and, accordingly, obstinate view is abandoned.The immaterial substance
of Reality is perceived, but the perception of five skandhas as the superb existence
is still lacking. It is not actually necessary to abandon the body after the attainment
of the Void. Everyone has form (body) and knowing; having attained the Void does
not mean one has to endeavor to abandon the body. Void means simply the absence
of grasping.True existence is Emptiness not of this world. The complete, perfect
meaning of true existence is Void not of this world; containing neither partial
existence nor partial Void, it is the Middle Way, also known as the Ultimate Reality.
In short, a mind that does not discriminate by means of craving and clinging is
the mind that understands the meaning of "not of this world"; though
non-existent, it is the True Existence. There is no void, yet it is the supra-mundane,
recondite Emptiness. The Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, in his great wisdom, does
not allow his mind to discriminate: Seeing is seeing, hearing is bearing, smelling
is smelling, tasting is tasting, knowing is knowing, understanding is understanding;
the six organs do not dwell on the six types of data. Enlightened by means of
perceiving the sound of the tide, he comprehended the nature of hearing as non-abiding;
mind freed of grasping attains the wonderful Dharma of the Inconceivable: That
is the "True Existence in the supra-mundane Void.""Thus He
Overcame All Ills And Suffering"He perceived that all five skandhas are
void, thereby transcending all suffering. Of suffering there are two kinds: 1.
The suffering of birth and death of allotment, 2. The suffering of birth and death
of mortal changes. All ills and defilements mean suffering. According to the interpretation
of the teachings, when it is fully understood that all five skandhas are empty
five fundamental conditions of passions and delusion are severed and two kinds
of birth and death are over. What are the five fundamental conditions of passions
and delusions? They are: 1) wrong view, very common in the Triloka (three realms);
2) clinging, or attachment in the realm of desire; 3) clinging or attachment in
the realm of form; 4) clinging or attachment in the formless realm (mundane);
5) the state of un-enlightenment or ignorance in the Triloka, held to be the source
of all the distress -generating delusions. The five fundamental conditions of
passions and delusions depend on the five skandhas for their existence and when
the skandhas are found to be empty the five fundamental conditions of passions
and delusion vanish. Everyone is equipped with five skandhas, and those uninstructed
in Buddha Dharma cannot eradicate the five fundamental conditions of passions
and delusions because they are unaware that these are originated by, and dwell
in the mind. Such being the case, sentient beings have no other choice but to
endure suffering in the present and turn in the cyclic pattern of existence until
they recognize the cause of their suffering and enter the path to enlightenment.What
are the wrong views common in the Triloka? To see the object; to be confused by
the object and to give rise to greed as the result of that confusion is the root
of defilement. Let us suppose that someone who meets some wealthy, influential,
high--ranking official and from that is given to envy, greed and jealousy. It
is of no use; he/she cannot obtain what he/she wants. Greed becomes entrenched
in the mind and as such is very difficult to extirpate. Defilements of this kind
are most common. Those unexpectedly promoted and prosperous, those in humble circumstances
or those destitute, those who enjoy long life and those who die young, even the
smart and the dull ones, all are in that situation because of cause and effect.
Good causes in previous life will produce good effects in the present. Good causes
in the present will produce favorable effects in the future. The law of cause
and effect is all pervasive, excluding nothing and no one. The practice of this
Dharma and the understanding of obstinate void sever eighty-eight wrong views
in the three realms and lead to the attainment of the first fruit of the path,
i.e., Stream Winner.What is meant by attachment in the realm of desire? To
recognize greed as objectionable and to relinquish it is expedient and noble:
Not to see the object, not to give rise to clinging and not to be moved by outside
things leads to great liberation. Poverty, wealth, success and failure can all
be endured. The next rebirth will be in the heavenly realm of desire and when
his/her blessings run out in that realm, he/she will be reborn a human. That cycle
will be repeated four times and then the second fruit and the path will be attained,
that of Once Returner. One more rebirth is required to attain the third fruit
(Non Returner), which means the end of all delusion in the realm of desire. With
the cessation of all desires at all levels in all three realms, the fourth path
and fruit is attained, i.e. that of the Arhat, or saint. In the realm of desire,
six layers are generated by the worldlings' giving in to the attractions of the
senses.Attachment in the realm of form: Those who freed themselves from wrong
views and clinging, but still hold on to the analysis of the theory of void-ness
will be reborn in the realm of form (rupa loka), which includes eighteen layers
of heaven. These are divided into four Dhyanas according to the depth of absorption:
Each Dhyana dissolves nine kinds of illusory thought, which means that thirty-six
illusory thoughts are brought to a halt by the four Dhyanas. If the one reborn
in the realm of form still has a form-body, it would not be that of a woman: Those
reborn in that realm have the form-body of a man. It is also called the Brahma
sphere because the beings there have renounced sense desires and delight in meditation
and dhyanic bliss. For that reason we speak of attachment in the realm of form.
The beings in that realm have all necessities of existence attended to without
any effort. The realm of form is beyond the reach of ordinary people with mundane
concerns.The nourishment in these realms is of four kinds: Solid nourishment,
especially of the palatable variety; fragrant nourishment; the nourishment of
delight in Dhyana; the nourishment of delight in Dharma. The first kind, or the
solid nourishment, is the same as what people eat every day: It is the manner
of humans in the six realms of desires. The second kind, the fragrant nourishment,
sustains devas (heaven-dwellers) and ghosts. The nourishment of delight in Dhyana
and Dharma is for those in formless realm.Attachment in the formless realm:
When wrong view with its concomitant grasping no longer contaminates the realm
of desire and the realm of form, rebirth in the formless realm follows. That sphere
is free from form (body); there is only the knowing consciousness and, therefore,
we speak of clinging to the formless realm. Denizens of that realm are no longer
preoccupied with matter or material. The Dhyanas and the Dharma are their repast
and their bliss.The formless realm is divided into attainment in meditation
on the void; attainment in meditation on consciousness; attainment in meditation
on nothingness; and attainment leading to a state of neither perception nor non-perception.
Consider for a moment the difference between Dharma talk offered by an Arhat,
as compared with that given by someone of lower attainment. The attachment to
formless realm still manifests.Vast differences are noticeable when the two
traditions, namely the Theravada and the Mahayana, are viewed in juxtaposition.
Why? Because meditation according to the Theravada does not single out wisdom,
yet the five fundamental conditions of passions and delusions require the practice
of both activity and principle and equate meditation with wisdom; it is not comparable
to the realm of form and the formless realm. Even the third stage of liberation
according to Theravada, i.e. the Non Returner, does not imply liberation from
the three realms.The state of ignorance in the Triloka: Ignorance and delusory
views still predominate, as countless as the atoms in the universe, although beings
in that realm have relinquished some part of both. Their understanding as to action
and principle is far from clear and therefore they cannot stop the conversion
of their thoughts into the cycle of birth and death, although they were released
from the four states or conditions found in mortality. The Arahat who completed
the fourth and the highest stage, attaining the fruit and the path is, likewise,
liberated from these four. Worldlings cannot escape the two kinds of birth and
death no matter how long their earthly existence might last. Reborn in the formless
realm, they still have birth and death, even after eighty-four thousand kalpas.
That is a very long time.One particular sutra teaches that a very, very long
time ago, people lived eighty-four thousand years, but the life span gradually
decreased, shortened by greed, hatred and delusion, and the process continues
at a steadily accelerated pace. Thoughts of the past or future tend to make people
uneasy or jittery. According to the T'ien T'ai method of counting kalpas, the
life span of eighty-four thousand years is taken as the basis; it is reduced by
one year a century till the life span has reached ten years, at which point the
counting is reversed and years are added, one at a time, up to eighty-four thousand.
Such full cycle is called small kalpa. Twenty of those produce one middle kalpa
and four middle kalpas are called the great kalpa. Several different systems of
calculating the kalpa exist, depending on the cosmology used as the point of departure.
The heavenly existence in the realm of form is eighty-four thousand great kalpas
long, yet these beings must die in the end if they do not understand the Buddha's
teaching and do not practice accordingly. They may be reborn in any circumstances
and may suffer a great deal, depending on whether their causes were good or evil;
it is quite reliable.The preceding explanation dealt with the five fundamental
conditions of passions and delusions. We understand presently that neither the
heaven-dwellers, nor the worldlings can escape the suffering in the wheel of birth
and death unless they terminate the five fundamental conditions of passions and
delusions. There is, however, more happiness in heaven than in the world. To end
the two kinds of birth and death and the five fundamental conditions of passions
and delusions one must make the great vow to attain enlightenment; to be able
to do that one must study and practice Buddha dharma. The passage we just concluded
was related to the two kinds of birth and death and the five fundamental conditions
of passions and illusions as dependent on the five skandhas, namely form, feelings,
perceptions, volitions and consciousness. At the time of his attainment of the
radiant wisdom, the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara conquered all ills and suffering
by means of apprehending beyond any doubt that all five skandhas are devoid of
independent existence."Oh Shariputra, form does not differ from the void,
andthe void does not differ from form. Form is void andvoid is form; the
same is true for feelings, perceptions,volitions and consciousness."In
this part of the Heart Sutra the Buddha expounds the luminous Dharma of the Middle
Way or "When coursing in the deep Prajna Paramita," so the saints of
three kinds have the occasion to relinquish their less-than-perfect views. The
sutra was translated by the Tripitaka Master Hsuen Tsang who depended on the Buddha
alone for its meaning and therefore we should consider this teaching to be spoken
by the Buddha.The Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara, while practicing deep Prajna
Paramita, attained radiant wisdom through a full understanding of the ultimate
Void of the five skandhas. The Dharma of Skandhas is a teaching of existence rather
than of emptiness, but due to the depth of his Prajna contemplation, the Bodhisattva
acquired full, complete understanding of True Reality. He ended simultaneously
the two kinds of birth and death and the five fundamental conditions of passions
and illusions and irreversibly overcame all suffering.Turning once more to
Shariputra, the Buddha reiterated the essential point for the benefit of those
not understanding clearly.Shariputra was the best of the best, the most advanced
Sravaka or "hearer", renowned for his sagacity. According to an established
Indian custom regarding personal names, a person may decide to use either his/her
mother's name, or father's, or both. The word 'Shariputra' (Chiu Lu Tzu in Chinese)
literally means certain species of waterfowl similar to an egret. Shariputra chose
to use the name of his mother, who was said by those who knew her to have luminous
eyes like that particular bird. She had the reputation to surpass her brothers
in wisdom and keen spirit. Shariputra's mother was an adept of the heterodox path
and as her name suggests, she was a person of the highest wisdom."Form
does not differ from the Void, and the Void does not differ from form; the same
is true for feelings, perceptions, volitions and consciousness." This statement
highlights and expands the foregoing sentence of the Sutra, leading toward a deeper,
sharper understanding of the Sutra's essential teaching. This Dharma might not
be clearly understood without some explanation.I have already introduced the
fivefold interpretation of the meaning of Void or Emptiness, i.e., the obstinate
void-ness of worldlings; the annihilation void-ness of those traveling the outer
or heterodox path; the void-ness understood by means of analysis as practiced
on the path of the two vehicles; the Void perceived by bodhisattvas as the true
substance of the universe; the supra-mundane Void of True Existence. "Form
does not differ from the Void", is an observation of inconceivable wisdom
rooted in deep practice of Prajna Paramita.The sense-organ group produce three
types of experience: Touching combined with seeing; one sense-organ door alone;
activity of the mind alone. This point relates to the six kinds of data, i.e.,
sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch and thought, and the corresponding six material-sense-organs,
meaning eye, ear nose, tongue, body and mind. All our experiences, physical and
mental, are generated and accumulated by this group. During their interaction
with their objects the senses are affected or contaminated by earthly views. The
result then is dust (attraction or aversion of the senses), which characterizes
the sentient sphere or Kamaloka. Dust of that kind is one of the major hindrances
to enlightenment.Let us proceed with an analysis of these three types of experience.
The first is experienced through contact with form, any form, by means of combining
seeing and touching and includes mountains, rivers, houses, flowers, dogs, our
body and all the other forms that have corporeality and can be touched as well
as seen; the result of that contact is the dust of form.The second quality
is produced separately by one of the four based on touch, i.e., hearing, tasting,
smelling and touching. Hearing is accomplished by the ear and produces sound-dust;
smelling is accomplished by the nose and results in smell-dust; tasting is done
with the tongue, generating taste-dust, and touch informs of bodily states thereby
producing touch-dust.The third quality is the mental activity alone. It engenders
mind objects or thoughts or ideas and eludes both sight and touch. While each
of the five organs has its own specialized field, the mind knows and receives
all of them. Mind-object or mental formation is a shadow of the five kinds of
dust; the mind knows all of them, but they do not know, cannot know one another.The
six kinds of dust generate three kinds of experience; but where do the six kinds
of dust come from? With our five physical sense organs, we experience the material
world. When a sense-organ relays information obtained through contact to its corresponding
consciousness, the dust is produced. The six kinds of dust involve the participation
and combination of numerous forms in the process of generating the three types
of experience. How can form be considered the true existence of the supra-mundane
Emptiness? How can we call void what our eyes can see and our hands can touch?We
may believe we see with our eyes but actually, it is our seeing nature that sees.
A dead body, for example, though having eyes, cannot see, because its seeing nature
is no longer there. The nature as substance has no specific residence. It is neither
the brain nor the mind. It is vast and boundless, sign-less, unattainable. Despite
the fact that we can see whatever is in front of us, we cannot see our own seeing
nature. Because our seeing nature cannot be traced and cannot be fathomed, we
assign to it the term Emptiness or Void.We say, furthermore, that Emptiness
is the substance of our nature. Speaking of the nature of seeing, the number of
colors seen, as well as their characteristics, are of no relevance. To put it
simply, form is nature is form. Nature being void, form is void also. What does
it mean when we say that form is nature? Because our six sense-organs, namely
eye, ear, nose, tongue, body and mind give rise to the six natures, i.e., seeing,
hearing, smelling, tasting, touching and knowing, countless forms combine and
manifest themselves as three kinds of experience and in the process generate six
kinds of dust. Yet form is not separable from nature and nature cannot separate
from form. When it is separated from form, nature is non-form; form separated
from nature is non-nature,We have another example, in case some people are
not completely clear regarding the doctrine. Ask yourself, which comes first:
Form or nature? If you answer that the nature of seeing comes first, then consider
how can it manifest itself in the absence of form? If, on the other hand, your
answer is "form", then ask yourself, how can you become aware of it
without your seeing nature? There is really no difference between form and seeing
- all of it is relative dharma. The nature of seeing, or the seeing consciousness
is like this and the hearing, smelling, tasting, touching and knowing consciousness
also.The just concluded study of form and nature according to Yien Yai helped
us to realize they are inseparable or non-dual. Since Void is the substance of
nature, it must be the substance of form as well. Accordingly, to perceive that
"form does not differ from Void, Void does not differ from form", is
to understand that they are inseparable. It is the Dharma of Non-duality.Let
me give you another example: A mirror is made to reflect whatever is in front
of it, The "whatever" may be near or far, round or square, green, yellow,
red, white or all four. The mirror will reflect all with equal clarity. Facing
clothes, the mirror will reflect clothes, facing a table the mirror will reflect
a table, and when made to face the sky, the mirror will reflect it. Mirror always
reflects something and, therefore, it is comparable to our Self Nature; the reflection
can be compared to dust. A person of mundane concerns will misunderstand the situation,
hold the reflection (dust) for the real thing, and struggle to grasp it. Who would
believe that mountains, rivers, the earth, even the entire universe are a mere
reflection or dust, and as such, they must all rise and vanish in the cyclic existence?
What this means is that phenomena are the Dharma of Birth and Death. The mirror's
reflective capacity is like the True Nature of seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting
and touching: being true Suchness, it is unmovable, and cyclic existence cannot
touch it. But without a mirror, how can there be reflection?Their relationship
is immutable yet clearly defined in terms of sharp contrast. Similarly, form and
mind-nature are one and the same. One can became enlightened and see one's own
True Nature practicing this dharma, The Shurangama Sutra says: "When you
see light, your seeing is not the light and when you see darkness, your seeing
is not the darkness; when you see void, seeing it is not the void and when seeing
a slab, the seeing is not the slab. When your absolute seeing perceives the essence
of seeing, the former is not the latter; they still differ from one another; how
can your affected seeing reach that absolute seeing?" In the part of the
sutra we are presently studying, "seeing" applies in the first instance
to subject seeing and in the second one to object seeing. This point should be
cogitated and comprehended intuitively. Without form there is no nature - form
and nature are of the same substance and there is no inside or outside. This is
the stupendous Dharma of Suchness.Let us return to the example of the bright
mirror. The worldling, unlike the saint, is interested solely in the reflection,
never giving as much as a thought to the mirror's reflectivity. Clinging, grasping
the reflection, the worldling grasps an incidental occurrence on the mirror's
surface and mistakes it for the original. The uninformed fail to understand that
all that exists has its nature; earth has earth nature; fire has fire nature;
water has water nature; wind has wind nature and consequently the mirror has mirror
nature. Our True Nature is also like that and yet most people are confusing illusion
with reality, quite unaware of their True Nature. They grasp and cling to reflections
and dust. For them the Tao of Bodhi is difficult to attain. The Buddha made use
of many expedients while teaching the Dharma of Truth. He repeated over and over
again so those who listened could follow his example and attain enlightenment.
Reflection in the mirror is impermanent, but the mirror-nature is constant. Reflections
come and go, but the reflectivity of the mirror remains. However, the enlightened
practitioner in the tradition of Theravada holds form and mind to be two, distinct
and separate.A bodhisattva who attained the intermediate level of practice
views the reflection as the characteristic of the mirror's nature, and the mirror's
capacity for reflecting is not held as separate from the reflection. There is
a cohesive hold, meaning that form and mind are inseparable. It is the material
entities that are unreal; that is what "immateriality of substance"
means. Although it is true that a bodhisattva is enlightened and the Mahayana
doctrine more accomplished then the Theravada one, there is still more that needs
to be done. The only complete enlightenment is that of the Buddha, and it is attainable
only by means of mindfulness, by being observant and by awakening to the Ultimate
Truth. Form is mind, mind is form and they are neither two nor one: That is the
fundamental Buddha dharma. True Existence is the supra-mundane Void, and the True
Void inconceivably exists.In the forthcoming paragraph we will direct our
attention to the interpretation of "he perceived that all Skandhas are empty,
thus he overcame all ills and suffering." The adherents of the Buddha needed
to understand clearly that the form-skandha is the first one of the five. The
question is, why? Why is form different from the Void, and why is the Void different
from form? Form is one of the six dusts, and the first of the five skandhas. To
consider form as having independent existence is one of the wrong views. Actually,
form is not different from the Void. Someone asked why we talk only about the
skandha of form; why not talk about all five?Because form as shape is most
confusing, particularly when applied to the materiality of the human body. Feeling
or sensation, perception, volition and consciousness are the domain of mind. Sound,
smell, taste, touch and mental formations are from the group of the six dusts
also referred to as the six forms (to summarize the forgoing discussion of the
three types of experience). The six dusts are generated by our five material -sense-organs,
i.e., eye, ear, nose, tongue and body; each of these possesses both shape and
form, being the first of the five skandhas. When we add the six dusts to the five
skandhas, we arrive at eleven forms called collectively the Dharma of Form.The
remaining group of four skandhas is called the Dharma of Mind. The skandha of
feeling and the skandha of perceptions jointly are amenable to fifty-one mental
conditions; the skandha of volition has the form (or Dharma) of twenty-four non-interrelated
actions. The skandha of consciousness is controlled by eight minds. The Dharma
of Form and the Dharma of Mind jointly contain ninety-four Dharmas. In addition,
there are six inactive supra-mundane dharmas (asamskrtas), which brings the number
of Dharmas to one hundred, referred to as the Principal Sastras (commentaries).
The Buddha's teachings contained originally eighty-four thousand of them, but
Maitreya Bodhisattva, by condensing them, arrived at six hundred and sixty Dharmas.Vasubandhu,
the Bodhisattva of non-attachment, distilled their content further to obtain one
hundred sastras, simplifying it for future students. The domain of the mind is
vast; it contains four skandhas out of five and its cultivation is the means to
the attainment of the path. Returning to the analogy of the bright mirror, the
reflection or image is composed of the ninety-four form and mind Dharmas, while
the six inactive supra-mundane Dharmas (asamskrtas) constitute the mirror-ness
or True Nature of the mirror.Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara practiced the deep
Prajna Paramita and perceived that all five skandhas are empty. The radiant, all-encompassing
wisdom is the Dharma of Reality as Non-action. In terms of our analogy, the mirror's
True Nature is the Ultimate Reality. It reveals the five skandhas as essentially
void. But without practice and study, how can we understand True Reality?The
skandha of form embodies eleven dharmas, all of which are "not different
from Emptiness" therefore "form does not differ from the Void, and the
Void does not differ from form."What is the true Void? True Void is the
luminous wisdom of the enlightened mind; without wisdom, how could the Emptiness
of the skandhas be disclosed? And, for that matter, how could anyone overcome
all ills and suffering? In reality, to break off the eleven form Dharmas is far
from easy. Non-duality of form has the inconceivable, brilliant form of supra-mundane
Void - the True Existence. Such is the meaning of "form does not differ from
the Void, and the Void does not differ from form." The Buddha was aware that
some of his disciples continued approaching form and Void as two, as left and
right for instance, and therefore he elaborated further, in depth: "Form
is Void, and Void is form."Form and Void initially are non-dual. All
present form empty of self is the supra-mundane Void of True Existence: It is
the stupendous Dharma of Non-duality and Non-grasping. Merely by comprehending
this concept the five skandhas are already broken off. That is the meaning of
"the same is true for feelings, perceptions, volitions and consciousness."
Once the skandha of form was disclosed as void of separate, lasting self, the
mind- skandhas, similarly, were found to be void. To break off one skandha is
to break off all of them."The same is true of feelings, perceptions,
volitions and consciousness"; feelings, perceptions, volitions and consciousness
are, likewise, recognized as void of selfhood: The Void is their essence. The
Dharma of the Five Skandhas is the teaching of things in general - one is all,
all is one. Consequently, by understanding one skandha one understands all five.
The Buddha continued to expand the scope of this teaching, once more turning to
Arya Shariputra. First, the skandhas were revealed as void of self, and now Void
is revealed to be their true essence."Oh Shariputra, the characteristics
of the void-ness of all dharmas are non-arising, non-ceasing, non-defiled, non-pure,
non-increasing, non-decreasing."The above paragraph proclaims Emptiness
as the substance of all dharmas: That being the case, there can be neither birth
nor death; no defilement; no purity; no increase or decrease. What holds true
for the Dharma of Skandha applies equally to the rest of dharmas, and therefore
all dharmas are presently void.An ordinary person views all things of this
world as possessing their own shape or form, he/she grasps and clings to them,
not understanding that their presence is empty of a permanent, separate self.
The Buddha, mindful of some of his adherents who still grasped worldly dharmas
as if they were real, addressed once more the problem generated by the perception
of dharmas as increasing, decreasing, defiled or pure. Explaining in. more detail,
he reiterated that since all dharmas are void, there is no birth and no death,
neither an increase, nor a decrease, no defilement and no purity. The pre-eminent
theme of this sutra is the essential Emptiness of all dharmas and the distinguishing
marks of their emptiness are defined as non-arising, non-ceasing, non-defilement,
non-purity, non-increasing, non-decreasing, non-birth and non-death.The Vaipulya
Sutra speaks of "neither existing nor extinct, neither permanent nor annihilated,
neither identical nor differentiated, neither coming nor going." The history
of Buddhism is replete with illustrious sages who pondered and expounded this
doctrine at great length. To the deluded worldlings, it makes no sense to speak
of no birth and no death: They hold birth and death as essential; all of us were
born and must die, in the same way the grass sprouts and grows in the spring and
summer and dies in the fall. That is clear to everyone, so how can anybody teach
that there is no birth and no death? Thus worldlings come to perceive objects
as permanent (the view called parikalpita in Sanskrit).In the Madhyamika Sastra,
Bodhisattva Nargarjuna says: "For the one who is already born, there is no
birth; nor is there birth for the one who has not been born. The one who was born
and the one who was not born, neither has birth-nor the one being born has birth
at the time of his/her birth." To give an example, grass that is one foot
tall is no longer sprouting. That is what is meant by "no more birth for
the one already born." Supposing the grass that is presently one foot tall
is allowed to grow one more foot: It still cannot be said to have birth, because
there is no manifestation of birth. That is meant by "what has not been born
yet has no birth." The grass cannot be said to "have birth" or
"being born" at any specific time during its sprouting and so it is
said that "the one being born does not have birth at the time of birth."
The mark or the sign of birth does not obtain at any one moment. Bodhisattva Nargarjuna
demonstrated by means of this example that the doctrine of no-birth makes perfect
sense and that it is relevant to an understanding of the teaching.I have already
explained birth and non-birth. Let me explain now the opposite to non-birth. For
the one already dead there is no death; for the one not dead yet there is no death,
either. At the time of dying there is not one specific point in time for death
to manifest itself. The explanation should clarify the eight dharmas of form,
i.e., "neither existent nor extinct, neither permanent nor annihilated, neither
identical nor differentiated, and neither coming nor going." A simple statement
of non-birth and non-death would not be convincing enough. To counter the argument,
the Buddha said: "Neither permanent nor annihilated" for those holding
on to the doctrine of permanence. To make it succinct in terms of the luminous
Dharma, "if you open your mouth you are already wrong, if you give rise to
a single thought you are in error." All of this is, in fact, inconceivable.
To quote once again the Shurangama Sutra: "the language we use has no real
meaning."I would like those who hold things as permanent to explain why
we cannot see at present all those who lived before us? The impermanence of human
existence becomes immediately apparent. Similarly, those who subscribe to the
annihilation theory should tell us how is it possible for us to eat last year's
rice? Today's rice is the seed from last year's plant, which, in turn, grew from
the seed of the previous year. That should be evidence enough that the annihilation
theory does not work, as asserted by the above "neither birth nor death,
neither permanence nor annihilation."As to "neither identical nor
differentiated", it means not being the same (or alike), and not being varied,
either; being neither one nor many. Consider the human body, for example; it is
a collection of many dissimilar parts, i.e., skin, muscle, tendons, bones, blood,
viscera and more. Though we refer to it as one body, one sentient being, there
are, actually, more than one there. Yet our body cannot be called a group or a
composite, because of being perceived as entity. The quote under discussion can
be reformulated as "one is all, all is one." The Ultimate Dharma is
the silence that follows after the sound of discussion: has ceased and when the
role of thought is over."Neither coming nor going" addresses the
view of things as having independent, lasting existence. By "coming"
and "going"' we mean questions such as "where do people come from
and where do they go?" Or, similarly, some may wonder where do mountains
come from and where do they go? The view that holds everything in the world to
be in some way continuing is called in Sanskrit parikalpita. The view is based
on a fundamental cognitive distortion, bringing further distortions in its wake:
From there on, there is birth, death, permanence, annihilation, sameness, differentiation,
coming and going.The foregoing discussion of the superb doctrine dealt with
"neither birth nor death, neither permanence nor annihilation, neither sameness
nor differentiation, and neither coming nor going." Presently, we are going
to turn our attention to the doctrine of Ultimate Reality as "not defiled,
not pure, not increasing and not decreasing," dependent on the substance
of Prajna (or the Void-ness of all things).Defiled and pure both are without
definite form, thus leaving everyone to his/her own resources or subjective point
of view. Rejecting "defiled", clinging to "pure" gives rise
to yet another defilement because of our natural tendency toward opinions and
prejudice. It is only when discriminating thought no longer arises that liberation
can be attained. Let us imagine that someone slipped while walking on a country
road; while getting up he/she put his/her hand in some dung. He/she washed the
dirty hand, and having done that, considered that hand clean again. Had a piece
of cloth been used instead, it would have been considered somewhat soiled even
after many launderings; it might even be discarded because of it. However, the
hand could not be discarded since it forms an essential part of the owner's body;
he/she had no other alternative but to wash it carefully and then accept it as
clean. The handkerchief would be easy to abandon and for that reason there would
be no need for mind to hold on to "soiled."A lady scholar named
Lu Mei Sun once told me a story about a friend of hers, a lady who lived in a
village. Once her friend went shopping in the nearest town, where she saw a pretty
enamelware receptacle she liked well enough to buy; she derived much pleasure
from serving food in it. About six months later she invited several of her friends
for a special meal and used her favorite vessel to serve it in. Her guests, however,
were repelled by it, because they identified the vessel as a chamber pot. In spite
of the fact that the pot was never used for anything else but food since the lady
brought it home brand new from the store, her friends were taken aback. We can
appreciate how the view of "soiled" and "clean" is totally
grounded in the assumption that things have permanent and, therefore, independent
existence.There is a certain soy condiment that is very popular, but most
of those who consume it are not aware of the process used to make it. During its
fermentation, the condiment harbors colonies of maggots; they are carefully removed,
prior to the product being offered for sale. People enjoy its flavor, but were
they reminded, while eating it, that it was once populated by maggots, they might
suddenly consider the condiment dirty and stop eating it.Clearly, the maggots
feel perfectly at home in the midst of the decomposing material, and the question
of dirty or clean does not arise. Yet rotten or decomposing material has a connotation
of dirt in the minds of people.Those who inhabit heavenly realms consider
us, 'the earthlings, dirty, yet they, in turn, are deemed dirty by the Arhat or
the saint of the Theravadin tradition while he, the Arhat, is perceived as dirty
by a bodhisattva. Thus the demarcation between pure and impure is far from clear.
If your mind is impure, the world appears correspondingly impure, and vice versa.
All these distinctions are arbitrary, yet people grasp them, and cling to their
views as if they were carved in stone.And, finally, we are going to talk about
increase and decrease. As it is to be expected, these two terms are, likewise,
completely relative: There may be an increase in a decrease, or a decrease in
the increase. Let me give you an example: There are ninety days of summer. Presently,
thirty days of summer have already passed. We might say that hot weather has been
increasing over the past thirty days, or we can put it differently by saying that
the hot season has already decreased by thirty days. An idiomatic saying puts
it as "months and years have no feelings, they just decrease while they increase."
While the years increase, our life span decreases says the same thing using different
words. I am eighty-four years old. If I am to live till ninety, I have six more
years, and if I live one more year after that, it means an increase, yet it is
also a moment-to-moment decrease in my life span. That is the meaning of an increase
in the decrease, and a decrease in the increase.In a few words, there is neither
birth nor death, neither impure nor pure, neither increase nor decrease: That
is the wonderful doctrine of the Middle Way; but most people twist their perception
to make it fit their picture of how reality should be. Then there is birth and
death, impure and pure, increase and decrease, all being produced by ego-notion
and it's concomitant craving. For that reason the Buddha taught the true nature
of reality: To point out that the notion of separate ego is an illusion, and to
emphasize the necessity to eliminate craving if we want to bring the round of
suffering to a halt.The point is that the skandhas are all empty at this very
moment; since the Skandha-Dharma is central to Buddha dharma, the rest of Dharmas
are equally empty. To reiterate once more, there is no birth and no death, neither
pure nor impure, neither increase nor decrease. According to the Prajna Paramita
Heart Sutra, Emptiness is the substance of all dharmas."Therefore, in
the void there are no forms, nofeelings, perceptions, volitions or consciousness;"The
Buddha knew that repetition is essential to learning; he explained further that
there is form because the mind craves it, and when mind releases its hold, form
ceases to exist. It does not have any independent nature of its own. Additionally,
there are no feelings, no perceptions, no volitions and no consciousness in the
supra-mundane Emptiness of True Existence. He returned to the fundamental Skandha
Dharma again and again to explain the essential Emptiness of all existence. He
hoped to make the path of liberation be known by teaching it continually.In
this paragraph I will shed light on the meaning of the phrase "all Dharmas
are Void-ness." The fundamental Dharma of Five Skandhas teaches that all
five skandhas are empty, which means that there are really no skandhas. They are
not the substance, but only the function, or worldly dharma; just as all Buddhas
and bodhisattvas, the skandhas are rooted entirely in the Dharma of Emptiness."No
eye, ear, nose, tongue, body or mind; no form,sound, smell, taste, touch or
mind object; no realm of the eye, until we come to no realm of consciousness."This
portion of the Sutra is the Teaching on Emptiness in connection with the eighteen
worldly dharmas, or the eighteen realms; the uninstructed lack understanding of
the Dharma, of Emptiness and repeatedly yield to the play of delusion as permanence
and as independent existence. Ultimate Emptiness is not the obstinate void of
the worldlings nor the annihilation view of those on the heterodox path; it is
not the analysis of the Void as practiced by Theravadins, nor the Void of the
present moment as perceived by the bodhisattva.The supra-mundane Emptiness
of True Existence is not possessed by Buddhas alone: All of us are endowed with
the same truth and would come to know it, if only we relinquished our discriminating
mind; that is the supra-mundane Void of True Existence. In order to have correct
practice it is not necessary to apply the method of Theravada, the Middle Vehicle
or the Mahayana. Anyone can become Buddha spontaneously by deeply comprehending
that "all existence is Void." The Arhat of Theravada is equal to a worldly
person of great potential.A worldling of superior potential can sharpen his/her
wisdom and receive the radiant Dharma at any time. People of mundane concerns
wear themselves out in the realm of the eighteen mundane dharmas that lead to
confusion and craving; for them there can be no salvation. The six organs, i.e.,
eye, car, nose, tongue, body and mind, and the corresponding six sense- data or
dust, i.e., form, sound, smell, taste, touch and mental formations generate the
six kinds of consciousness, i.e., eye consciousness, ear consciousness, nose consciousness,
tongue consciousness, body consciousness and mind consciousness. The group is
referred to as the eighteen realms or the eighteen mundane dharmas. To be conscious
means to be conscious of something, to distinguish or to discriminate.The
average person works to make a living, eats and drinks every day always bound
by the eighteen realms. He/she always sees with his/her eyes, hears with his/her
ears, smells with his/her nose, tastes with his/her tongue, touches with his/her
body and knows mental objects with his/her mind. The cognitive objects are discerned,
produce sense data and from the six kinds of consciousness arise all the other
functions.People assume the reality of subject and object behind the process,
unaware as they are of it being a mere assumption unverifiable by experience.
To understand this doctrine means liberation, but getting confused about it means
falling into the ocean of suffering. Six kinds of consciousness arise from the
six organs and the six data. The six organs are useless to a dead body. How could
the six kinds of consciousness receive the six data and act upon receiving them?
Since Emptiness is the substance of the six organs and, consequently, of the six
kinds of data, what do the six kinds of consciousness depend on for their existence?
The sutra says: "No realm of the eye all the way up to no realm of consciousness,"
meaning no realm of eye consciousness, no realm of ear consciousness, no realm
of nose consciousness, no realm of tongue consciousness, no realm of body consciousness
and no realm of mind consciousness.The mundane Dharma of eighteen realms and
their range is clear: Each of them has a character of its own. As a matter of
fact, just as one hundred rivers merge into one ocean, all dharmas are contained
in one teaching, the teaching of Emptiness. To attain enlightenment instantly,
all one needs is to comprehensively understand the Dharma of Emptiness as the
essence of reality. The uninformed majority submerge their True Nature in confusion
resulting from misconception regarding the eighteen realms, a concept that has
no counterpart in reality. Whenever mind touches a point, there is feeling; it
may itch, hurt, feel numb, burn, or produce any of the countless sensations, and
the knowing consciousness is alerted. When the taste buds are stimulated, there
is the knowing of tasting. There is sweet, bitter, sour, etc. and the tasting
nature becomes confused by the variety and the complexity. Similarly, the moment
the eye makes contact, the eye consciousness engages in making distinctions in
terms of light/dark, and the pristine seeing nature gets covered over by them.
When the ear catches a sound, the hearing nature gets lost in judgments regarding
it. These cognitive patterns are so deep it is difficult to trace and abandon
them. And yet, it manifests complete misunderstanding of the original nature of
consciousness. Looking at the city at night, we see the brilliant lights of ten-thousand
households: Such is the form of light. During blackout we are able to observe
the form of darkness. Light and darkness both have birth and death, yet the nature
of seeing is free of cyclic existence. It is in the nature of seeing to perceive
darkness in the absence of light and light in the absence of darkness. This should
help us to understand the timeless nature of seeing. Our tendency to crave and
grasp the object of seeing is a major obstacle to an understanding of the true
nature of reality.Attachment resulting from pleasurable eye contact, once
established, is exceedingly difficult to relinquish. Most people do not have any
understanding of the subject of seeing. The organ of the eye does not have the
ability to see - only the nature of seeing does. The one who can enlighten himself/herself
as to the subject of the nature of seeing can understand his/her own mind and
see his/her own nature immediately. Whether a person is holy or worldly depends
entirely on his/her ability (or the lack of it) to see his own Original Nature.
This holds true for the nature of hearing, smelling, tasting, touching and for
the nature of knowing. The Shurangama Sutra says: "When one organ has returned
to its source all six of them are liberated." Our study and practice should
begin by looking inward in order to free ourselves from the effect of light and
dark. It is truly important to turn our attention completely onto our nature of
seeing. When it is accomplished it means a true awakening to the supreme Tao.
At first we should learn the Buddha Dharma and try to understand the doctrine.
When we start to practice we should apply what we have learned: Without practice
there is no learning.The World Honored One is said to have attained Buddhahood
in the previous asamkhiya kalpa; nevertheless, he appeared in the world in order
to save all sentient beings, manifesting himself as a worldling and a prince.
The son of king Suddhodana of the Sakya clan, he renounced his regal status at
the age of twenty-nine so he could dedicate himself wholeheartedly to the quest
for liberation from suffering. He practiced ascetic meditation in the Himalayas,
and at the age of thirty-five the former prince attained perfect and complete
enlightenment while meditating beneath a Bodhi tree. Noticing a bright star in
the eastern sky, the Buddha observed that the nature of seeing is boundless. He
commented that all sentient beings have the same wisdom and virtue as the Tathágata,
but since it is covered over with delusion, attachment and aversion, sentient
beings do not attain enlightenment. All evidence affirms that the Buddha attained
the Original Nature, but most people are confused regarding their own, mistaking
the four elements for their bodies and the reflections of their six conditioned
sense data for their minds. That is delusion and grasping, and these are major
hindrances to attaining the Tao.The preceding explanation dealt with the eighteen
realms consisting of six sense organs, six sense data and six kinds of consciousness.
Now I would like to sum up, using the eye organ for illustration:There are
two aspects to the eye: There is the organ of sensation and the faculty of sensation;
the eye is the organ; the faculty of sensation has two parts - seeing and form.
The capacity of the eye to see, or the subject of seeing, is called the nature
of seeing. The form of seeing is related to the object of seeing: It is always
connected to an object, and therefore the eye is always seeing something, whether
a thing, a shape, a color or a size. The object of seeing is most confusing, and
the uninstructed can easily fall into self-deception as to the independent existence
of whatever they are looking at. The process of experience gets twisted so it
suits the volition to grasp and to possess, thus changing into a source of suffering.
The Buddha's teaching is the path to liberation and whoever understands this,
understands all the Mahayana sutras as well.We return once more to the example
of the mirror and the reflection. The mirror was made to reflect whatever it faces,
including mountains, rivers, even the great earth; the problem arises when the
reflection is mistaken for the object and when it is no longer realized that it
may vanish at any time, it being part of the birth/death cycle. The susceptibility
to reflect is the real self, the timeless characteristic of the mirror we are
talking about, yet it is very seldom realized. There was a Ch'an master who said:
"Always facing it, yet not knowing what it is!", meaning that worldlings
do not recognize the nature of seeing for what it is: Ignoring the clarity of
the mirror they hold on to the reflection.Time passes very quickly; even if
we live for one hundred years, it still is a very brief period of time. Those
who inhabit heavens still worry about death although their lives last much longer.
Things seen during one's life are completely useless after one has died. The nature
of seeing, however, is not amenable to birth or death, it is not dependent on
the organ of the eye. To have eyes does not necessarily mean having seeing awareness.
The nature of seeing is like the capacity of the mirror to reflect images, shapes
or actions; after the images, shapes or actions vanish, the nature of seeing remains,
unmovable and unchangeable. The same applies to the nature of hearing, smelling,
tasting, touching and knowing.Simply stated, people should not hold reflections
as permanent, clinging to them and grasping them. To perceive the reflectivity
of the mirror as the True Self means quick release from defilement and an expeditious
liberation. The remaining five sense doors can be inferred from the example of
the eye organ; the six sense-organs with their corresponding six data and six
kinds of consciousness collectively generate the eighteen realms or the eighteen
worldly Dharmas: All of these are reflections, impermanent, subject to birth and
death. Only the nature of seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, touching and knowing,
like the nature of the mirror, remains unchanged. Furthermore, that which reflects
is the also reflection, and the reflection becomes that which reflects it: They
complement one another.Thus there is "no eye, ear, nose, tongue, body
and mind: No form, sound, smell, taste, touch and no mind object. No eye realm
until no realm of consciousness." According to the phrase "all five
skandhas are empty" the five skandhas are the true Void of the supra-mundane
existence and the Dharma of the Five Skandhas is the fundamental Dharma. In the
true Void of supra-mundane existence, when there are no more skandhas, there is
nothing to be attained. The eighteen realms are void at this very moment. Without
the mirror, how can there be reflection?"No ignorance and also no ending
of ignorance, untilwe come to no old age and death and no ending of oldage
and death."This part of the Sutra refers to the formula of the Twelve
Links in the Chain of Existence: These are in the sphere of the five skandhas.
As we have seen, the five skandhas were found empty; consequently the twelve links
are also void. Pratyekabuddha or the saint of the middle vehicle who practices
the Dharma of the Twelve Links and who attained enlightenment by that means was
liberated from his/her allotment of birth and death, but has not reached the realm
of Buddhahood. The Buddha taught the Prajna Paramita Sutra to bring people closer
to the attainment of Buddhahood by means of a deep understanding of all dharmas
as manifestations of Reality and Emptiness.Someone endowed with superior wisdom
and the highest potential, who understands that all Dharmas are void can attain
Buddhahood immediately. The attainment of Pratyekabuddha is the outcome of his
practice based on the Dharma of the Twelve Links in the Chain of Existence, or
causes and conditions. Causes and conditions act as support for the twelve links,
which confuses people further. Ignorance conditions karmic action, action conditions
consciousness, consciousness conditions name and form, name and form condition
the six sense doors (sense organs), the six sense organs condition contact, contact
conditions sensation, sensation conditions craving, craving conditions grasping,
grasping conditions becoming, becoming conditions birth, birth conditions old
age and death, sorrow, pain, grief, lamentation, despair and anguish. The Twelve
Links of Existence in combination with causes and conditions illustrate how confusion
contributes to human suffering. Let me explain:Ignorance in the context of
the Buddha's teaching means either not knowing or knowing incorrectly; the term
is interchangeable with confusion. Assumptions based on ignorance support or condition
un-skilful actions. Action rooted in confusion reinforces the bias generated by
ignorance.Consciousness is the prime agent in the selection of conditions
for rebirth: If there is confusion present during the intermediate existence between
death and rebirth, proper conditions for the next existence will not be recognized.
In this respect it is the consciousness that conditions name and form.Name
and form at the beginning of a new existence are simply the sperm of the father,
combined with the ovum and blood of the mother; the form already exists, but the
name part has yet to develop. The eighteen realms that will eventually come into
existence will be conditioned from the very beginning by name and form.The
six organs develop on the basis of corporeality and of the natures of seeing,
hearing, smelling, tasting, touching and knowing, with a discriminatory bias already
built in. The six senses develop on the bases of the six organs: The six organs,
being the sense doors, condition contact.Contact takes place when a sense
organ produces sense data in response to stimulation. In the case of a newly born,
the earliest experience is tactile: There is an abrupt change of environment in
terms of temperature and texture, causing intense discomfort in the newborn baby,
making it cry. The contact conditions sensation.As the range of stimuli widens,
diversity of contact increases; the material sense-organs develop accordingly,
each becoming progressively specialized and its own realm more and more specific.
Eye, ear, nose, tongue, body and mind develop preferences and aversions, giving
rise to greed and anger. Therefore it is said that sensation conditions craving.Craving
is sometimes interpreted as thirst. Initially, it is the thirst for the continuation
of one's existence, construed as independent. That notion is the anchor for the
impulse to grasp.Grasping leads inevitably to clinging, which brings new becoming
in its wake.Becoming may be described as setting the stage for new birth.
It is the unavoidable outcome of grasping.Birth is conditioned by becoming.
It introduces a new round in the cyclic pattern of existence; because there is
birth, old age and death automatically follow.Old age and death require care
and produce pain, grief and anguish. Most humans, when approaching death, are
ravaged by grief and anxiety. They hold on to their thirst for existence entrenched
through lifelong habits; their suffering and their fear are similar to what a
tortoise experiences when its shell is removed. Death and dying are frequently
accompanied by manifestations of grief.Birth, death, and all the suffering
in between arise because of ignorance and supportive conditions, and the ordinary
people have no choice but to continue the cycle of rebirths in the six realms.
Pratyekabuddha understands the source of defilement and of birth and death. Upon
hearing the Dharma of the Twelve Links in the Chain of Existence he/she will generate
the mind of Tao and practice to end his or her own suffering. He/she will attain
the path and fruit of the middle vehicle thereby ending the allotment of birth
and death.To free oneself from confusion or ignorance is requisite for right
or correct practice. When ignorance is eliminated, all delusory activity ceases.
There is no more fuel to feed delusion and thus consciousness is extinguished,
meaning there is no more birth, no more death. With the six sense organs extinguished
there is no more contact. In the absence of contact and sensation, there is no
longer any greed or hatred, no craving and therefore no grasping (no karmic activity);
without grasping there can be no becoming, which means that all future rebirths
are extinguished. Without birth there is no aging and death and that is the end
of pain, grief, lamentation and anguish.The Buddha taught the Prajna Paramita
Dharma to awaken practitioners to the teaching of the Void and to make them receptive
to it. The Chinese term Wu (none) implies putting an end to grasping; to understand
the essential Void of all existence is to understand the True Mind. To see one's
Self Nature enables swift attainment of Buddhahood, because when ignorance is
recognized as void, there is nothing left to break off. Therefore the sutra says
"also no ending of ignorance." Because, originally, there is no such
thing as old age and death (they are the product of the conceptual mind), the
sutra says, "Until we come to no old age and death and to no ending of old
age and death.""Also there is no truth of suffering, of the cause
of suffering, of the cessation of suffering, nor of the path."This sentence
deals with the Void as the ground of the Four Noble Truths. What are they? Suffering,
Cause of Suffering, Cessation of Suffering and The Path. The teaching transcends
the mundane and provides access to sainthood. A saint from the Theravada tradition
attains the path and the fruit on the basis of his/her practice of The Four Noble
Truths. The Mahayana attainment is in the realm of the supra-mundane. The suffering
spoken of is the suffering in this world. Its causes are, likewise, of this world,
the path is operative in this world and Nirvana or cessation of suffering is our
exit from this world. The path provides the right causes for the Tao and the practice
is aimed toward enlightenment.The first of the Noble Truths is presented in
three aspects: 1. As ordinary suffering. In this aspect it includes all forms
of physical and mental pain and ache. 2. The outcome of the impermanent nature
of life. All the fleeting pleasures are illusory and temporary and subject to
change. 3. The five aggregates or the conditioned states. Matter, feelings, perceptions,
mental formations and consciousness, the last being based on the first four, are
constantly changing, hence impermanent, and what is impermanent is, inevitably,
suffering.The six realms of existence comprise three good or happy ones, and
three unhappy or evil ones. The first three are the realm of heavenly beings,
the realm of humans and the realm of asuras (titans). The latter three consist
of the realm of hell, the realm of hungry ghosts, and the realm of animals. The
form sphere and the formless sphere both provide much longer life continuity than
this world. and more happiness as well, but they are still subject to birth, death
and suffering consequent of action. The sphere of desire in the human realm provides
equal parts of happiness and suffering, while the asuras, though enjoying blessings,
are without morality and their good fortune will eventually end.The inhabitants
of the three happy realms made good causes in their former lives, and depending
on how they benefit others, they will receive rewards accordingly in this world.
There is no need to explain the three unhappy realms. All we need to say is that
there is a great deal of suffering there. The suffering of those inhabiting unhappy
realms is the present effect of causes from their previous lives. All suffering
is produced by the mind. One reaps as one sows.What is the cause of suffering?
The second of the Noble Truths posits the cause or the origin of suffering as
craving or thirst, which produces re-existence and re-becoming, accompanied by
passionate clinging. Numerous causes come together, and we know that our present
suffering is the effect of previous causes. Likewise, our present behavior is
the foundation for future effects.What effect has the supra-mundane on the
cessation of suffering? The third of the Noble Truths follows logically from the
first two. If craving is removed or transcended there will be no more suffering.
Cessation means calmness and extinction, or Nirvana: It is inviting, attractive
and comprehensible to the wise. The one who understands the source of suffering
thoroughly knows that it is generated by one's own self; yearning for Nirvana,
he/she resolves to practice and attain the path and the fruit, i.e., Nirvana.What
is the cause of the Noble Truth of the Path? Having analyzed the meaning of life,
the Buddha demonstrated to his disciples how to deal effectively with suffering.
The fourth Noble Truth makes the teaching a complete whole. Those who focus their
desire on attaining the supra-mundane Nirvana can break off the causes of suffering
and practice toward enlightenment.The practitioner of the teaching of the
Four Noble Truths should reach understanding of the cause of suffering and direct
his/her efforts toward the dissolution of the cause of suffering, resolve to attain
Nirvana and from then on practice wholeheartedly. Following his enlightenment
the Buddha taught the Avatamsaka, but some hearers had difficulty understanding
it, and therefore he applied expedient means to accommodate them. His teaching
of the Four Noble Truths was threefold: 1. By means of contemplation of the manifestations
of suffering, 2. By exhortation, 3. Using his own attainment as an example and
as encouragement.1. Contemplation of the manifestations of suffering.There
are several kinds of suffering people are forced to endure in order to survive
and to get the basic necessities of life; The ordinary form of suffering includes
birth, old age, sickness, death, parting from what we love, meeting what we hate,
unattained aims and all the ills of the five skandhas. Where does the suffering
come from? It is generated by one's own self.The cause of suffering is a cluster
of six root defilements: Greed, hatred, ignorance, pride, doubt and heterodox
views. The lesser defilements are diversified varieties of the six root defilements.
The twenty secondary afflictions are belligerence, resentment, spite, concealment,
deceit, dissimulation, haughtiness, harmfulness, jealousy, miserliness, non-shame,
non--embarrassment, non-faith, laziness, non-conscientiousness, lethargy, excitement,
forgetfulness, non-introspection, and distraction; the six root defilements and
the twenty secondary afflictions together cause all the suffering in the world.Cessation
of suffering can be attained; it is possible to end the cycle (allotment) of birth
and death, put aside the four conditions of mortality and attain the appealing,
joyful Nirvana. To follow the Theravada practice means, however, not to halt the
mortal changes of the round of births, and to have some obstruction regarding
Emptiness.Those who resolved to practice and attain because of their ardent
wish to reach Nirvana should observe the thirty-seven conditions leading to Bodhi.
The three studies or three pillars of practice - discipline, meditation and wisdom
- represent the thirty-seven conditions in condensed form. The practice of discipline
removes the obstacle of greed, meditation reduces delusion and the two combined
foster wisdom. Without diligent practice the Buddha's follower does not get very
far on his journey.2. By exhortation:Using the expressions and the tone
of a concerned teacher or a parent the Buddha would, at times, urge his followers:
"You should understand how people are forced to endure their predicament "
or "the cessation of suffering can be attained, you ought to make the effort,
you should practice " and so on.3. Using his own attainment as an
example and as encouragement:"The problem of suffering can be resolved;
look, I did it and so can you.""The causes of suffering are cumulative.
The sooner you eliminate or transcend them, the quicker you will be free once
and for all; I freed myself and now I don't have to worry any more" and such
like.At the time the Buddha set the wheel in motion by teaching the Four Noble
Truths, the hearers (Sravakas) attained sainthood (Arhatship). After years of
teaching, the Buddha taught the Dharma of Emptiness (Sunyata) to promote the understanding
of the supra-mundane Void of True Existence. We have seen the emptiness of the
five skandhas, and at present we perceive the Dharma of the Four Noble Truths
to be void as well. There is no suffering, no cause of suffering, no cessation
of suffering and no path. They are only the reflection in the mirror; without
reflection there is not the ability to reflect. The reflection is not separate
from that which reflects it; the reflective surface and the reflection are one.
To understand this means to be close to enlightenment."There is no wisdom
and there is no attainmentwhatsoever"This part of the sutra concerns
the teaching of the six paramitas, or the bodhisattva practice as explained in
the Tripitaka. Allowing one's actions to be guided by one or all of the paramitas,
one will surely attain the path and the fruit. For each of the previously mentioned
six fundamental defilements there is one of the six paramitas or perfections of
virtue, to be applied as a specific antidote.Charity eliminates greed, discipline
cures laziness, patience overcomes hatred, determination overcomes laxity, meditation
cools the mind making it receptive to wisdom and wisdom dispels ignorance. The
Mahayana doctrine of action and principle differs from the Theravada as to the
intent. In addition to one's actions that should follow the paramitas one is expected,
according to the Mahayana understanding of the bodhisattva path, endeavor to liberate
all sentient beings by leading them toward an upward path while seeking his/her
own enlightenment upward. If one has not cut off grasping completely, one's wisdom
becomes colonized by consciousness, turning into an obstacle rather than being
a virtue.According to the Buddha, "there is no wisdom and there is no
attainment whatsoever". It means that the paramitas and the bodhisattva action
as promulgated by the Tripitaka are not entities to be grasped, conceptualized,
manipulated or used. But this is the perspective of the Mahayana, Dharma; the
teaching of Emptiness is evident neither in the practice nor the wisdom, and not
in Buddhahood for that matter, as taught by the Theravadins.The Dharma of
Emptiness is characterized by the concept of Emptiness as the substance of all
dharmas. Then the six paramitas and the bodhisattva action are the reflection
in the mirror, since they are all amenable to change and therefore empty of self.
The already introduced Chinese term Wu, meaning non, un-, or none, expresses the
true nature of the mirror, or its capacity to receive and relinquish all that
goes on in front of it without holding on to any part of it. If the paramitas
are practiced with the understanding that they are rooted in Emptiness, the great
enlightenment can be attained. Non-wisdom is the true wisdom, non-attainment is
the true attainment. This is what it means to practice deeply the Prajna Paramita;
the five fundamental conditions of passions and delusions stop, and the two kinds
of birth and death are finished forever.In addition to the paramitas of bodhisattva
action there is another set of six paramitas of principle as part of teachings
of the intermediate school (Tung Jiao). Action and Principle are not separated
in the teaching of the differentiated school (Bie Jiao), but in the original or
genuine school (Yuan Jiao) the six paramitas are practiced as non-action; the
practice leads to perfect wisdom and to the supreme Bodhi."Because there
is nothing to be attained, thebodhisattva relying on prajña paramita
has noobstruction in his mind.""Nothing to be attained"
is the all-important theme of the Sutra. The obstruction alluded to in the above
sentence refers to the three obstructions of function, to wit: 1. The karmic obstruction,
or the obstruction of deeds done in the past; 2. The obstruction of retribution
and 3. The obstruction of passion.The above quote implies the supra-mundane
Void as the True Existence of all dharmas and for that same reason no dharmas
can be obtained. "Since the bodhisattva cannot seek outside help when dealing
with obstructions, he has to rely on insights provided by his own radiant wisdom
for his attainment of freedom. The first to break off is the obstruction of retribution;
it is of two kinds, the dependent condition (meaning one's circumstances) and
the resultant person (meaning one's physical condition). The bodhisattva already
discarded these two kinds of obstruction, and several types of anxiety vanished
from his mind."Because there is no obstruction, he has no fear."This
sentence is about discarding obstructions to action. Not to be obstructed by body
and mind means to be free of worry and of fear. The practice of bodhisattva action
engenders five kinds of fear, and those who did not break off delusion yet, who
are in the early stages of the bodhisattva career, are particularly susceptible:1.
Fear of being left without sustenance after giving away all possessions; 2. Fear
of being insignificant after giving up one's reputation; 3. Fear of dying in situations
that call for self-sacrifice; 4. Fear of falling into evil circumstances; 5. Fear
of addressing an assembly, especially in the presence of important people.These
five fears obstruct Dharma practice and without them there is no obstruction to
action."And he passes far beyond confused imagination."This
statement is related to the obstacle or obstruction of passion. That obstruction
has its root in the defilement of confusion or ignorance, manifested as mistaking
the impermanent for permanent, the ugly for beautiful, and suffering for happiness.
It is the way of people of mundane interests. The bodhisattva whose perception
has been clarified through Prajna has been liberated to a great extent from that
obstruction."And reaches ultimate nirvana."When there is no
more mental pain or grief, Nirvana becomes perceptible, comprehensible, inviting
and attractive. It is the complete and final cessation of greed or craving, hatred
and ignorance, and therefore the cessation of rebirth and of the continuity of
life. Dharma-kaya, Prajna and, consequently, freedom manifest themselves to their
fullest. Nirvana cannot be expressed through words; it has to be experienced."The
Buddhas of the past, present and future, byrelying on prajña paramita
have attained supreme enlightenment."In this sentence Prajna is proclaimed
to be the perfect, ultimate Dharma of supreme relevance not only to bodhisattvas
but to all the past, present and future Buddhas as well."Therefore, the
prajña paramita is the great magic spell, the spell of illumination, the
supreme spell, which can truly protect one from all suffering without fail."The
above segment of the Sutra praises the merits of Prajna. The term "spell"
suggests that the theme and the essence of this sutra transcends concept; its
power and its strength are operative in realms not amenable to manipulation. Furthermore,
its effect can manifest itself instantaneously, transcending the worldly, attaining
holiness."Therefore he uttered the spell of prajña paramita, saying
gate, gate, paragate, parasamgate, bodhi svaha."The above is a mantra,
i.e., an esoteric teaching by means of which we are reminded of the subtlety and
complexity of the inconceivable Dharma. The body of the Teachings includes some
exoteric parts, such as the sutras, and some esoteric ones, such as the dharmas
and the mantras. Exoteric Teachings are accessible to rational understanding and
can be explained, but the meanings of the esoteric or mystic forms of prayer such
as dharmas and mantras are not within the reach of the intellect; the good is
upheld and cannot be lost and evil cannot arise. During recitation, dharmas and
mantras enable the one reciting them to control both the sound and the timing,
but any recognizable words and meanings which would normally hold his/her mind
captive are not there. He/she has then an opportunity to experience expansiveness
or spaciousness of mind, it being one of mind's very special characteristics.To
recite this mantra by itself, omitting the text of the sutra is a true Mahayana
practice of the non-discriminating mind. The inconceivable nature of the teaching
is apprehended and the teaching seen as a whole. Thorough study of the sutra and
a complete understanding, equal the meaning implied in the mantra (sometimes referred
to as "spell").The explanation of The Heart Sutra, including both
the exoteric and the esoteric aspects, is presently completed. Any contrived and/or
faulty interpretations of the Teachings ought to be carefully avoided.GlossaryTerms
are from Sanskrit unless stated otherwise.Agamas. Generic term applied to
a collection of traditional doctrines and precepts, the sutras of Theravada (Hinayana)
are referred to at times as the Agamas.Anuttara Samyak Sambodhi. The incomparably,
completely and fully awakened mind; it is the attribute of Buddhas.Arhat.
The one who has achieved Nirvana: A Saint in the Theravada tradition. The stage
is preceded by three others, 1. Stream Winner, 2. Once-Returner, 3. Non-Returner,
4. Arhat.Arya. Any individual ennobled by his/her own continuing effort on
the path to enlightenment.Asamkhyia (kalpa). Term related to the Buddhist
metaphysics of time. Each of the periodic manifestations and dissolutions of universes
which go on eternally has four parts, called asamkhiya kalpas.Avalokitesvara.
The name is a compound of Ishwara, meaning Lord, and avalokita, looked upon or
seen, and is usually translated as the Lord Who Observes (the cries of the world);
the Buddhist embodiment of compassion as formulated in the Mahayana Dharma; the
most important Bodhisattva of the Mahayana pantheon, second only to the Buddha.Avatansaka
or Avatamsaka (Sutra). One of the 5 key texts of the Mahayana canon. Its principal
doctrine is that of the law-nature (Dharma-dhatu) of the universe. In modern terms
it means that all objects and energies are under the law of causation, on account
of which they are co-existent and interdependent.Bhikshu. Religious mendicant;
Buddhist fully ordained monk. Bhikshuni is the equivalent term designating a woman.Bodhi.
Perfect wisdom or insight knowledge by means of which a person becomes Buddha.Brahmajala.
Or Indra's net, characterized by holding a luminous gem in every one of its eyes.
(Hindu mythology).Dharani. Extended mantra used in esoteric branch of Buddhism
to focus and expand the mind. Its words, or sounds, should not communicate any
recognizable meaning.Dharmadhatu. The Law-doctrine that is the reality behind
being and non-being. It is interpenetrative and all-inclusive, just as the rotation
of the earth holds both night and day.Dharma-kaya. The first of the three
forms of the Buddha: The Self--Nature or Void aspect. The real being in his true
nature, indescribable and absolute.Five Fundamental Conditions of Passions
and Delusions: 1. Wrong views which are common to triloka; 2. Clinging or attachment
in the desire realm; 3. Clinging or attachment in the form realm; 4. Clinging
or attachment in the formless realm which is still mortal; 5. The state of un-enlightenment,
which is the root-cause of all distressful delusion.Four Fruits of the Arhat.
See under Arhat entry.Hinayana. Lit., a small vehicle; designates Buddhist
tradition of south--east Asia; replaced by the term Theravada.Kalpa. Periodic
manifestations and dissolutions of universes which go on eternally. Great kalpas
consist of four asamkhiya kalpas corresponding to childhood, maturity, old age
and the death of the universe.Lotus Sutra. Or Saddharma-pundarika, Dharma
Flower, or "The Lotus of the True Law." The sutra is the basis for the
Lotus sect (T'ien-t'ai in Chinese). Among the sutras of the Mahayana canon.Mahayana.
Lit., great vehicle; the dominant Buddhist tradition of China. Special characteristics
of Mahayana are 1. Emphasis on bodhisattva ideal, 2. The accession of the Buddha
to a superhuman status, 3. The development of extensive philosophical inquiry
to counter Brahmanical and other scholarly argument, 4. The development of elaborate
devotional practice.Middle Vehicle. Also called Middle Doctrine School or
Madhyamika; one of the two main schools of Mahayana thought; it upholds the Void
as the only really real or independent, unconditioned Reality.Nirvana Sutra.
The last of the sutras in the Mahayana canon. It emphasizes the importance of
Buddha-nature, which is the same as Self-Nature.Paramita. Perfected virtue,
of which there are six, namely: 1. Dana: Generosity; charity. 2. Shila: Morality;
harmony. 3. Kshanti: Patience; tolerance of insults. 4. Virya: Valor; vigor in
practice. 5. Dhyana: Contemplation; meditation. 6. Prajna: Essential wisdom; awareness
as such, beyond the duality of subject and object.Pratyekabuddha. Self-enlightened
being who attained without a teacher; attained individual unwilling or unable
to teach.Saddharma-pundarika. See entry under Lotus Sutra.Saha-lokadhatu
or Saha world; this world to be endured, this earth.Sanskrit. Learned language
of India. Canonical texts of Mahayana Buddhism in its Indian stage were written
in Sanskrit.Skandhas. As taught by the Buddha, the skandhas are the components
of the human so-called entity that is constantly changing. They are: 1. Name/form;
2. Feeling; 3. Conception; 4. Impulse; 5. Consciousness.Small Vehicle. See
entry under Hinayana.Sramana. Lit. laborer; applied to those who wholeheartedly
practice toward enlightenment; root word of the designation for novice monk.Sravaka.
Lit. hearer; it originally referred to those who paid devoted attention to the
spoken words of the Buddha; today it is more often applied to an ardent teacher
of Buddhist texts; an individual still needing guidance in Dharma.Tao. Chinese
term meaning the way. In Buddhist terminology it may be applied to practice, to
Self-nature or to the Ultimate.Tathágata. Thus gone; term frequently
used by the Buddha in reference to himself.T'ien T'ai. Chinese name designating
a school of Buddhism in that country; the Lotus Sutra is the school's textual
foundation. The T'ien T'ai doctrine speaks of the threefold Truth, the three being
three in-one. These are: 1. All things are of the Void; 2. Phenomenal existences
of all kinds are only temporary productions and so only the Void; 3. As everything
involves everything else, all is one, and something of everything involves everything
else, all is one, and something of everything is the basis of its being, this
something being the Buddha-nature. The school emphasizes Buddhist philosophy.The
ten Directions. North, South, East, West, N-E, N-W, S-E, S-W, Zenith and Nadir.Theravada.
Lit., the School of the Elders; one of the two main forms of Buddhism known in
the world today; practiced chiefly in south-east Asia; has the Pali Canon for
textual foundation.Triloka or Trailoka. The three realms: World of sensuous
desire; form; formless world of pure spirit.Tripitaka. Lit., three baskets:
The earliest Buddhist canonical text consisting of three sections: 1. Buddha's
discourses (sutras), 2. Rules of Discipline (Vinaya), 3. Analytical and explanatory
texts or commentaries (Sastras); usually referred to as the Pali canon.Upasaka.
Buddhist lay disciple (man), who formally received five precepts or rules of conduct.
Upasika is the equivalent term designating woman.